Christian “Wackos” & the Good Life

By Ellsworth E. McIntyre

Psalm 128 describes the faithful Christian as a God-fearing man who enjoys his food (feasting), enjoys his wife (fruitful vine bearing many children), enjoys his children (like olive plants round his table), and enjoys his long life (living to see his children's children). Many Christian teachers, on the other hand, never feast, bear few children, and seem to fear food and everything good and enjoyable.Many who have been my associates are "live forever" health nuts who refuse coffee, sodas, white sugar, red meat, etc. These "environmental theologians" teach that long life, health, and even rewards at the judgment seat of God is won or lost by external or environmental factors, such as food, exercise or bathing in chlorine-free water.

Pagan faiths also have their taboos. I am afraid Bible belt religion has much in common with natives shivering in fear before the evil material world. The bone-skinny, sunken-eyed, rubber tree worshiper and Christian "wackos" have much in common. Both believe and trust in homemade external religion. The notion that prosperity comes by means of birth control and fleeing from the evil material world are too often taught to our children.

Years ago, I served as the principal of a large Baptist day school in theMaryland suburbs, near the beltway of Washington, DC. The school had a special discipline problem caused by a nasty clique of church members' children, so my mornings before classes were spent strolling the halls maintaining order. I was stopped by my second grade teacher. She was one of those bubbly, gushy Christianteachers. This day she was especially effervescent, because she had such a "cute story" to tell me about my daughter. "Yesterday," she began in a shrieking, high-pitched voice, "I asked each second grader what they wanted to be when they grew up." Her entire body wiggled from suppressed glee as she said, "You'll never guess what your little girl said. Shesaid she wanted to be the Queen.

I laughed because I knew that was what she expected.

Then I said,"I wonder what theology caused her to think she can be anything she wants to be?"

"Theology," the now sober gusher sputtered. "What theology? We are talking about a child in the second grade. You need a second cup of coffee, Mr. McIntyre."She and a lot of my teachers did not approve of my coffee drinking. I liked to irritate them by continually saying, "All problems in education could be solved by prayer and a gallon of coffee per day." It was fun to see their eyes light up at"prayer" and dim at "coffee."

A Holy, successful Life

I was lost in thought as my daughter's angry teacher rushed away into the crowded hallway. Over my long career as a teacher, I have never once heard a female student say, "I want to rear a dozen children to the glory of God," nor have I heard a boy say he wished to father and to provide for a dozen children by becoming a millionaire, so he can leave an inheritance to his children's children (see Gen.1:27 & Prov. 13:22).

We may never hear this, because Christians are not taught to esteem children and private property as worthy or as holy goals. The girls believe that to be a "baby machine" is bad, and it is worse to seek wealth. These are not goals to glorify God or so they have been carefully taught by our preachers, teachers, and other Pharisees known as parents and friends. They all agree mankind is served best by birth control and "sharing." Ah, yes, sharing--the most noble of all values, don't all budding Marxists agree? Well, that's what we have been taught by our schools and churches. We have been taught the very opposite of the truth. Iplace schools first, because the schools, whether public, private or Christian, are the chief purveyors of religion. As touching children and property, there is almost universal putrid heresy taught.

The word of God teaches that wealth obtained lawfully is a blessing to be sought, but wealth obtained unlawfully is a curse (see Matt. 6:33). The heretics in the pulpits and in the schools teach against all wealth, both lawful and unlawful, as contaminating and prone to pull us down to hell. Our children believe it is low class to be the mother of many children.

The Rule is Productivity

The first question of the Westminster Catechism asks, "What is the chief end (meaning goal) of man?" The answer is "to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." Sofar, so good, but is God glorified by refusing to bear lawful children and earn lawful money? Genesis 1:27 teaches that God commands us to be fruitful, to multiply, and rule over the earth. God's commandments, "Thou shalt not steal" and"Thou shalt not covet," protect the right to own and control private property. In other words, God is not glorified by barrenness or poverty. It is a sin to rebel against the calling to be a parent or a wealthy person. The exception is thecelibate holy beggar; the rule is productivity in lands and children.

When we stand before the bar of God to receive our reward, the believer, who refused to obey the commands of Gen. 1:27 to be fruitful, will suffer loss. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 8:12). The preacher and the teacher who robbed the child of God of his birthright will weep most bitterly. At the judgment, my second grade teacher will know it was her false theology that cursed her students.

A long, prosperous life is never promised anywhere in the Bible for diet restrictions, such as sugar, red meat and such. Long life is tied to obedience to lawful authority, "Honor thy father and thy mother that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee" (Exod. 20:12). Wealth is also tied to obedience, "The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich and he addeth no sorrow with it" (Prov. 10:22). Prosperity or the Midas touch is promised to those who meditate day and night on the law, that whatsoever they touch shall prosper (Ps. 1).

It is an error to teach against lawful food, lawful wealth, and lawful sex.We must not rob our children of a successful, holy life and block them from a full reward in this life and the next. Obedience to the covenant is the main thing.Let1s get as far from the pagan as we can. A Christian education is supposed to draw the line between error and truth, the clean from the unclean. It is not clean to permit children to conclude life, health, and wealth come by means of the environment.

Incidentally, I asked my daughter if she remembered asking to be a queen. She laughed and said yes because everyone made such a fuss about her reply. She said, "My teacher told us that we could be anything we wanted to be, so it seemed logical to shoot for the top!" She is now 23 years old and manages one of my most successful schools. She is on her way to being wealthy. One day she plans to marry and raise as many children as the Lord will give to her. MayGod grant her grace to bear many children who will be fruitful and extend the dominion of Christ over the earth. "Occupy till I come" (Luke 19:13). We will rule with Christ, and our reward will be great, provided we obey His command to multiply children and enjoy and use property to His glory. In the world to come, my little girl may be a queen after all.