Question 1

Who do we see teaching in the Bible?

Accepted Answer

Deuteronomy 6:6-9“You must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”Psalm 78:5-6He [the Lord] issued his laws to Jacob; he gave his instructions to Israel. He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation might know them—even the children not yet born—and they in turn will teach their own children.By God’s design, parents are teachers whether trained or not. Children are trained, for better or worse, by their parents’ constant example.1 Timothy 4:11-12Teach these things and insist that everyone learn them. Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.Even a young believer can be a teacher, not only by sharing their knowledge but by setting a good example.Ezra 7:6, 10This Ezra was a scribe who was well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given to the people of Israel. . . . Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the Lord and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel.Trained scholars are teachers. Good teaching requires knowing and obeying God’s Word. Teachers should commit themselves to studying it regularly. After all, there is always more for God to teach us!Matthew 23:23“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.”1 Corinthians 8:1Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church.1 Corinthians 13:2If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing.We also see hypocritical and self-serving teachers in the Bible—the opposite of what God wants. Knowledge without love and wisdom can be destructive. For example, the Pharisees were very knowledgeable about Scripture, but they were far from God and their teaching led others astray.Matthew 22:37-40Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”Matthew 28:18-20Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”In his earthly ministry, Jesus taught and commissioned his disciples to teach.Luke 12:42-43The Lord replied, “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward.”1 Corinthians 9:27 I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.James 3:1Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly.Teachers have a great responsibility. Their words and actions affect the lives of many others. Raising children, teaching a class, training employees, running a small group, leading a church, or any number of other teaching roles can be time-consuming and stressful. However, if we neglect our own spiritual health in our busyness or lower our own spiritual standards in our weariness, we will have shirked our most important responsibility.

Question 2

How does teaching benefit the church?

Accepted Answer

Ephesians 4:11-14Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.Fellow believers with the gift of teaching equip and edify us toward the Christlikeness and discernment that mark maturity and preserves the truth of the gospel and the wisdom of godly living.Matthew 7:24“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.”Learning from Jesus will make us wise and confident in him.

Question 3

Why is false teaching dangerous, and how can I recognize it?

Accepted Answer

Micah 2:11Suppose a prophet full of lies would say to you, “I’ll preach to you the joys of wine and alcohol!” That’s just the kind of prophet you would like!2 Timothy 4:3A time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.False teachers are dangerous because they say what people want to hear, rather than what people need to hear.Titus 1:10-14There are many rebellious people who engage in useless talk and deceive others. This is especially true of those who insist on circumcision for salvation. They must be silenced, because they are turning whole families away from the truth by their false teaching. And they do it only for money.False teaching is dangerous because it can lead to the spiritual destruction of many people. Often, false teaching is driven by the desire for money or status and makes demands on people beyond what God expects of them.Matthew 7:15-18“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit.”Galatians 5:19-24When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.A false teacher’s dishonest motives or ungodly character can be hidden for only so long. They lack the fundamental fruit of repentance, and as a result they will ultimately fail to produce the fruit of the Spirit and instead reveal their sinful nature.1 Timothy 4:11-13Teach these things and insist that everyone learn them. Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them.The only way for believers to stand their ground is to be spiritually fit. Are we consistently exposing ourselves to solid teaching based on Scripture and backed up by a good example, or are we leaving our spiritual formation to chance?2 Peter 2:1-3But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed.Teachers have a God-given responsibility to be good role models. False teachers will ultimately be held accountable by God.

Teaching