Engaging Culture With Grace and Truth: A GCCA Student's Essay
“Love learning, know how to think, and do so in a way that brings honor and glory to Christ.” These are the goals for every student who comes to Grace Classical Christian Academy. With biblical principles as our primary focus, there is no philosophy in this world that is too dangerous or pervasive that cannot be taken captive and made obedient to Christ. As we aim to shape the affections of the students, we also desire to see them equipped to engage the culture in a relevant way.
We recently got a glimpse of our mission and vision coming to fruition as our Rhetoric School took the Classic Learning Test. In response to the test’s essay question, one of our 9th Graders was able to clearly and confidently articulate the biblical worldview in which she is being grounded here at GCCA. What follows is a model of a gracious and humble interaction with ideas, all while standing firm on the truth of scripture and giving no quarter to unbiblical and evil ideas.
Student Essay:
Question: Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” King dreamed that our nation would embrace racial reconciliation and equality. Do you think Dr. King would be proud of where this nation has come since he shared that dream? What areas do you think he would consider to be progress? What areas do you think he would believe still need improvement?
“Certainly, Dr. King was right in desiring racial equality amongst the nations. After all, we are all one race under Almighty God - the human race. We are commanded to "love our neighbors as ourselves," as we see clearly stated in Scripture. While America today emphasizes the importance of racial equality, I believe we strive to achieve it the wrong way.
Recently, a movement desiring racial equality called the Black Lives Matter movement (BLM), has come out in pursuit of racial equality. While some members of this movement are peacefully protesting against black oppression, the vast majority of BLM has taken a more radical stand against racial injustice. These radicals have physically beaten police officers, torn down historical statues and have caused much chaos and disorder in our country. They fight for racial equality, yet they hate white people. Is this what Martin Luther King Jr. would have wanted?
Let us go back to the command given us in the BIble to love our neighbor as ourselves. We, as American citizens, are neighbors belonging to the same country. Beating our authorities who are put in place for our protection is certainly not loving our neighbors. Causing chaos and strife in America is not loving our neighbors. Yes, Dr. King believed that we should strive for racial equality, but violating God's command is not the way to accomplish this.
I believe, if America truly is "one nation under God," that we will seek Him first, above all other things. This involves treating each other, no matter what the ethnicity, not only as equals, but as more important than ourselves. Because we first love God and obedience to him, we will want to love each other just as Christ loved us. We should be willing to lay down our lives in order to save the lives of others. That is what Dr. King hoped for. That is what he dreamed of.
I am sorry to say that I don't see this godly love for one another in America today. I do not believe this is at all what Martin Luther King Jr. would have wanted. Let us be united, under the authority of God and out of love for Him. If we live lives that are all about us and what makes us happy, no one will ever be happy. If we demand that others love us and only then will we love them, then no one will ever love or be loved.
What America needs is not racial equality, or even happiness. Those things cannot be accomplished apart from Christ. What America needs now is to open their dust-covered Bibles and to read the Gospel. We need to strive together for the sake of the Gospel and love one another for the sole purpose of glorifying God, not ourselves. Only then, will we know what true love looks like. Only then, will we truly be "one nation under God; indivisible; with liberty and justice for all." This is the message of Dr. King's dream.”
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.” - Ephesians 6:10-13