Looking for consistency in all the wrong places

The superiority of the biblical worldview as a plumb line to check and correct man’s fallible thoughts and decisions is unparalleled in the world. Not only is it righteous (as in just, and good) but it is consistent. The beginning of the Bible agrees with its end, even though its end was written 4000 years after its beginning by a completely different person in a completely different culture. All of its internal logic is consistent, no matter the topic it touches.

Thus we find a governing principle that parents are in authority over children until they reach adulthood. But not without parameters. The parents are given certain responsibilities (bring up your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord) as are the children (honor your parents in the Lord, for this is right). But if we search for the state’s responsibilities toward parents and children, we find none. The state is nowhere charged to educate, or train, or nurture, or admonish, children.

In our society we can see what happens when the biblical worldview as a plumb line had been removed from the decisions of government. On the one hand, the courts have deemed 16- year- old girls mature enough to make their own decisions about their health care, in striking down the parental notification laws year after year that different states keep passing (here, here, and here, for example). On the other hand, the court has deemed a 16- year- old boy not mature enough to make his own decision about his health care, even though he has the help and support of his parents in his decision.

So what is the governing principle here, courts? What is the universal law underlying both cases? Where is the consistency, other than tyranny? And who do you answer to, courts, when the decisions you keep making hurt our society rather than help?