Proverbs 2:10-12, “When wisdom enters your heart, And knowledge is pleasant to your soul, Discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you, To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things,”
Today there seems to be this mindset that college students cannot discern good from evil themselves, and we have to directly tell them what they need to do and what not to do because they cannot think for themselves. Maybe this is true, but I doubt it.
This happens in the classroom where professors keep teaching their ideologies instead of their subject. English teachers talking about politics and political teachers teaching about religion, though both would tell you they were some how teaching their subject. Instead of teaching facts and the subjects they are paid by tuition fees and tax dollars they indoctrinate our kids with their beliefs, and teach them to believe any differently is basically anti-intellectual, incompetent and idiotic.
Does this shock me? Absolutely not!! What does shock me is it is seen in many clubs and organizations that should not be doing it, including within the Christian circles. There are groups that have difficulty with their members participating or going to another group on campus, even if it is within the same affiliation or mindset. This boggles my mind for several reasons, not to mention that it begets a cult mindset on the students themselves, especially if the group is religiously affiliated.
This first seems to be saying that your group is the best and that there is no reason to go to others, making yourself the end all. Why not teach truth and let the college students discern and start to decide? Unless we are not teaching them how to do that and only teaching what we want them to believe. As Christians we are called to teach the truth of Scripture and then they are to decide. That is what free will is about. If we are teaching truth then when a college student goes to another organization and they are not teaching truth then they will be able to discern and see that what they are seeing is not correct and choose not to go back.
Using guilt or manipulation to make a college student commit to your organization or group is coercion and cultish. I have never told a college student they should not go to another group on campus, and will not. I will though teach them the absolute truths taught in the inerrant Word of God, and then leave them to decide. I will give my opinion about issues if asked, but at the same time I will not tell them to think the way I do. I have told students to go and check different groups out. But I do tell them to always take every thought captive as they are being taught, and to utilize the Scripture to base truth from opinion or just plain lie, and if the group is teaching error either confront it or leave the group, but I let them decide. I will not make them feel guilty if they return to the group. I just continue teaching truth.
I do not want them to have the “Mind of Alan,” besides being scary, is not absolute truth. I want them to have the “Mind of Christ,” the absolute truth and they way of salvation. If I am moving them towards the mind of Christ through Scripture then I am doing what God instructs us to do as campus leaders. The students are at the age of accountability and have to work through God’s truths and they also have to be able to learn to discern truth from error, as there are wolves out there in sheep’s clothing.
Yes, we are to protect the youth, young adult, and adult from error that is prevalent out there, but we do not do it through guilt or manipulation, again that is a cult mindset. “You should not go there because you do not want to get confused, and we are just trying to protect you. We are your family and there is no reason to go to those other groups. How do you think that makes us feel? We just care about you and want the best for you, and we do not want you to get confused from what those other groups may teach.” This is pure manipulation to coerce the person to become obedient to the group and not God.
It is interesting though that on the outside these groups will not seem this way, as they will participate with other like minded groups, or non like minded groups to have the appearance of tolerance, but once you start to attend the mind manipulation begins. These groups are dangerous and destructive to the person, the body of Christ and themselves. I have counseled too many people that have gone through this, and have seen the results of what happens to people when they get tied up with groups like this.
John 8:31-32, “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Teach the truth and when a student goes to see another group they should be able to discern what is going on if we have done our jobs as teachers. The only reason to use manipulation is because you are teaching error and you do not want students or anyone else to find out.
Plant the seed and let the Holy Spirit move in the student’s lives. John 15:26, “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.” Thank God for the Holy Spirit, as it takes so much responsibility from me, because I am not perfect. I try to teach absolute truth from the inerrant Word of God to the best of my ability; through a lot of prayer, study, and allowing the Spirit to teach me, and not by someone telling what I should believe or think. They are only guides because they have proved themselves through teaching truth as well based on Scripture. Like Paul, live with the ability to tell people to watch you and they will be walking in the truth of Christ. Walk in Christ, live in Christ, teach Christ, and protect Christianity, but do not use manipulation! If you are striving to reflect and live in the truth of Christ, then you have done all you can and then the college student has to choose.
College students, here is my advice, take it or leave it: Read the Word, study the Word, pray over the Word, find mentors who portray the Word, and then as you go to other groups base them on the Absolute Truth. If they are not lining up with it then do not attend, or attend and try to witness boldly. If you are saved and living for Christ and in the Word then the Holy Spirit will convict, protect and teach you.
2 Timothy 2:15-17, “Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And their message will spread like cancer.”
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