Berkhof on Christian Education

In the previously mentioned book, Foundations of Christian Education, I found Berkhof's conversational style more immediately accessible than VanTil's. Following are a few of his (Berkhof's) many worthwhile thoughts:

"The children of the covenant are adopted into a family that is infinitely higher than the family of any man of rank or nobility. They are adopted into the family of the covenant God himself. Moreover, they are destined to live and move about eternally in the company of just men made perfect, and of Jesus Christ, the King all-glorious. Perfect life in the most intimate communion with the triune God is their grand destiny. Can we at all doubt whether this calls for Christian education? Ought we not to ask, 'Is the best religious education we can give our children, no matter how comprehensive and thorough, really commensurate with the high dignity to which our children are called?' Should we not bend all our efforts to make it richer and fuller, and to bring it more into harmony with their high calling and their exalted duties? Would we want our children to be a dishonor to the household of God? Let us ever be mindful that the King's children must have a royal education."

"Children of Christian parents, in spite of their unworthiness, fall heir to the blessed promises of the covenant, and these promises cover the whole range of life...and as such guarantee them all the riches of grace and glory that are in Christ Jesus. ...Many children of God are even today living in spiritual poverty, though they are rich in Christ and heirs of the world, because they have not been taught to see the greatness and splendor of their spiritual heritage. If we do not want our children to live as paupers in spiritual penury and want while untold riches of grace and mercy are at their disposal, we must employ all the means at our command to unfold before their very eyes the treasures of divine grace of which they are heirs in Christ Jesus."

"The necessity of Christian education also follows from the requirements of the covenant. God requires of covenant children that they believe in Jesus Christ unto salvation and that they turn from sin to holiness. It is a very comprehensive requirement. Faith is required in the children of the covenant. This faith may not be bare intellectual assent to the claims of Christ or a mere stirring of the emotions resulting from an impassioned plea, or finally, a momentary impulsive choice under high psychological pressure. Rather, it must be a deliberate response...the 'amen' of the soul, elicited by the Holy Spirit, to all the blessed promises of the gospel. It is not something of momentary or evanescent character, but an abiding attitude of the soul in which it recognizes its own sinfulness and ever anew embraces the righteousness of Jesus Christ. From this faith must spring love to God, to Jesus Christ,and to the people of God."

"Now surely it needs no argument that children of whom such great, such spiritual, such heavenly things are required must be educated in the fear of the Lord. Christian education is one of the means which God is pleased to use for working faith in the heart of the child, for calling an incipient faith into action, and for guiding the first faltering steps of faith. What a blessed task, this task of Christian educators; but also, what a responsible duty! O, for hearts aflame with the love of God, for men and women filled with the Spirit of Christ, for teachers that speak with the tongues of angels, to perform the well-nigh staggering task of helping to qualify covenant children for their covenant responsibilities!"

These comments are taken from the essay, The Covenant of Grace and Christian Education.