Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. (Eph. 5:19–21, KJV)

Home schooling in today’s world is an animated and divisive topic. It seems that the world attaches itself to what should be spiritual and uses it to satisfy their own desires and supposed needs. This is not to say that all should be discarded, but let us look at the only and complete obligation our Creator created us for. God created the world for his own glory. It was the whole duty of man. Man’s wants were not part of the equation. Man’s wants and God’s wants at creation were one.

This Spirit-driven home school curriculum has the most necessary subject that must be learned shall there ever be an advancement or graduation from it. That lesson is holiness (Lev. 19:2). God cannot be seen without it. To be able to grasp its depth from our side is impossible. Why? God’s requirements for holiness and ours are not on the same level. God set the bar, and that bar must be met. With that in mind, God himself says, “Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one” (Ps. 53:3). The subject that must be learned must be taught outside of ourselves. Unholy ones cannot teach themselves holiness. Here in this life the heart of the child of God is more and more filled with a desire to be holy, but that will be completed at our last breath. “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:54–57).

Without the knowledge of sin, holiness is not known as the only thing that will conform us to Christ and his love. There can be no true happiness without it. The love of God drives everything (1 Cor. 13). But graduate his people will. In this home school the teacher not only begins but also has promised to finish what he has begun, ending in his own glory. “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Peter 3:11–13).

Good and upright is Jehovah in His dealings evermore.

Sinners are by Him instructed in the way untrod before.

He will ever guide the meek in His judgments true and holy;

Teach His ways to those who seek with a contrite heart and lowly.

—Psalter 415, verse 4, based on Psalm 25

Mr. Cornelius VanKempen known as Case, has been married to Susan for fifty-six blessed years. They attend and are members of Heritage Reformed Congregation in Grand Rapids, MI.