The Ong Family are Independant Fundamental Baptists: that is we are bible literalists. (Don't check what that means on wiki because I came up with it to match my own understanding and it may not match some other "scholar's" definition... :OP )
The bible is our sole and final authority in every area of life. I believe in a literal, personal, loving and at the same time just triune-God, a literal heaven and a literal hell.. I guess you can read our church statement of faith. I believe that there are blessings (or happiness) tied to obedience to God. But very importantly, I believe we all have been given a choice.
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
I believe the Bible has the answer to EVERY question that pertains to life and death everything that occurs in between. This includes child rearing, and education:
Proverbs 29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.
Proverbs 20:11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
Proverbs 23:24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
And this last verse is very important to us because this is a promise from God that if we train a child, he will not depart from the training. SO the all important question is: Who does the training? Is it the school/ child care/ tuition teacher or maid or even tv? No, the bible says it is the Parent who is to do the training.
The other all important question from Proverbs 22:7 that we have to ask is: What are we to train the child in?
Firstly, for us as Christians, the most important thing is for our children to know God and to know His salvation and one day be saved. No use if he has a string of degrees and drives ten fancy cars but dies and goes to hell. :O(
Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
We train also to teach our children the knowledge of God and His wisdom through which is the promise of a long a fruitful life:
Proverbs 4:5-10 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
The principal thing is not academic excellence but firstly knowing and obeying God. However, I do believe that academic excellence will be a by-product of knowing and obeying God. :O)
Unfortunately, the public school will not teach my children the knowledge of God. No. Not in language, not in maths, not in science (physics, biology or chemistry), not in geography or history... yet I believe (based on evidence in the Bible, God's Word) that God is the Author and Creator of all these!
Hence, to sum up why we homeschool:
Deuteronomy 6:5-8 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
And that's the short of it. :O)
Blessings!
the Ongs
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