The Bible Class Teacher A Great Responsibility
I.
INTRODUCTION:
II.
DISCUSSION:
A.
THAT WHICH IS TO PROCLAIMED OR TAUGHT BY THE BIBLE
TEACHER IS THE BIBLE.
1.
The inspired Scriptures are the only message of God
that is profitable for man.
2
Timothy 3:16-17
= “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and
is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished
unto all good works.”
2.
The gospel of Christ is the only key to, or power of,
salvation.
Romans
1:16 =
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:
for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that
believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
3.
Why teach only this gospel of Christ?
a.
It is the only message sent to man from God and it
came by Christ.
John
1:1 = “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God."
John
1:14 = "And
the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld
his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,)
full of grace and truth.”
John
17:14 =
“I have given them thy word; and the world
hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as
I am not of the world."
John
17:17 = "Sanctify them through thy
truth: thy word is truth." John
17:20-21 = "Neither
pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe
on me through their word;
That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me,
and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world
may believe that thou hast sent me.”
b.
The Words of Christ will be that by which we will be judged.
John
12:48-50 =
“He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not
my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have
spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which
sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and
what I should speak.
And I know that his commandment is life everlasting:
whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto
me, so I speak.”
c.
There will be nothing more given, coming from God as
to what is to be taught.
Hebrews
1:1-2 =
“God, who at sundry times and in divers
manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son,
whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he
made the worlds;”
Hebrews
12:2 =
“Looking unto Jesus
the author and finisher of our faith; who for the
joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the
shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of
God.”
B.
IT MATTERS NOT WHETHER THE WORD OF GOD IS PREACHED
BY A PREACHER, OR IS TAUGHT BY A BIBLE CLASS TEACHER, THE
SAME RESPONSIBILITY
IS PLACED ON BOTH OF THEM FOR THE MESSAGE IS THE SAME..
1.
The responsibility is not determined by the number
of people present, or whether it is in a large auditorium,
small class room, or to a single individual
-- the message to
be taught is
only that which came from God.
2.
The responsibility is centered upon the message being that of God and not of man.
3.
The responsibility is therefore just as great upon
the preacher as it is the Bible class teacher, or even any
one that teaches
the Bible to another.
a.
Two types of
proclaimers are
found to be in Paul.
2
Timothy 1:11
= “Whereunto
I am appointed a preacher,
and an apostle, and a teacher
of the Gentiles.”
b.
These two types of proclaimers are also found in the
same connection in Acts
5:42.
Acts
5:42 =
“And daily in the temple, and in every house,
they ceased not to teach
and preach Jesus Christ.”
(1)
Teach: The
Greek word is didasko, pronounced (did-as'-ko); Meaning “to teach”;
Translated – “teach”.
(2)
Preach: The
Greek word is euaggelizo, pronounced (yoo-ang-ghel-id'-zo); Meaning
“to announce good news, especially the gospel;
Translated – “declare, bring glad tidings,
preach (the gospel)”.
c.
The responsibility of proclaiming the gospel is the
same for both those that preach and those that teach
for the work of both preacher and teacher is declaring
the gospel of Christ through teaching.
d.
The Lord sent out the apostles in the Great Commission
to both preach and teach:
Matthew
28:19-20 =
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded
you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the
world. Amen.”
Mark
16:15-16 =
“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the
world, and preach
the gospel to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but
he that believeth not shall be damned.”
C.
THE GREAT RESPONSIBILITY IS EMPHASIZED BY THESE
SCRIPTURES.
Comment:
In some of
the following you will notice the words “preach and preaching”
are used, but the point in each of them is centered on the
proclamation of the gospel of Christ whether it be by
preaching or
teaching.
1.
It was the preaching (teaching) that brought
the Church into existence in Acts chapter one.
2.
It will be the preaching (teaching) of the gospel of
Christ, or God’s
inspired Scriptures, that will keep the Church active
and alive in reaching out to save sinners.
Romans
1:16 =
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:
for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that
believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
2
Timothy 3:16-17
= “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and
is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished
unto all good works.”
3.
The proclamation of the gospel is the
only means to save them that believe and they can not
believe what they have
not been taught.
[See Romans
1:16]
1
Corinthians 1:21
= “For
after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not
God, it pleased God by the foolishness of
preaching to save them that
believe.”
Comment:
The Greek word here for “preaching” is
kerugma, pronounced (kay'-roog-mah);
Meaning “a proclamation (especially of the gospel by
preaching it and/or
teaching it); Translated
– “preaching”.
4.
Consider carefully the preaching (teaching) in Romans
10:14-15 --
“How then shall they call on him in whom
they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?
and how shall they hear without a preacher?
And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as
it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach
the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”
5.
Paul had this say about the great responsibility of
preaching (teaching):
I
Corinthians 9:16
= “For
though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for
necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach
not the gospel!”
6.
The teaching of many false prophets must be shown to
be in error and this can only be done by teaching.
1
John 4:1 =
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but
try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false
prophets are gone out into the world.”
7.
The perverting of the gospel must be shown to be in
opposition to
the gospel of
Christ, and trouble to His church.
Galatians
1:6-9 =
“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from
him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another
gospel: Which
is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would
pervert the gospel of Christ.
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any
other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto
you, let him be accursed.
As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach
any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let
him be accursed.”
8.
The pressing need of teaching man that which is wrong
and that which is right to
enable him to be perfect in Christ.
Colossians
1:28 =
“Whom we preach, warning every man, and
teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect
in Christ Jesus:”
9.
Paul charge Timothy to give serious attention to his
preaching (teaching) with these words:
II
Timothy 4:1-4
= “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord
Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his
appearing and his kingdom;
Preach (teach, JHB) the word; be instant
in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all
longsuffering and doctrine.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound
doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears;
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth,
and shall be turned unto fables.”
10.
Paul also had this to say to Timothy
in regard to his teaching:
I
Timothy 2:7
= “Whereunto
I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I
speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher
of the Gentiles in faith and verity.”
I
Timothy 4:11-16
= “These things
command and teach.
Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example
of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in
spirit, in faith, in purity.
Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation,
to doctrine. Neglect
not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy,
with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to
them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue
in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and
them that hear thee.”
(1)
Be an example to the believers in word, conversation,
love, spirit, faith and purity. [
I Timothy 4:12 ]
(2)
Give attention
to (meditate upon) your reading, exhortation, and doctrine.
[ I
Timothy 4:13-15 ]
(3)
Give careful consideration to yourself, to the doctrine,
and the application of them.
[ I
Timothy 4:16 ]
(4)
A failure to do so will make the salvation of yourself
and those that you teach void.
[ I
Timothy 4:16 ]
11.
Christ summed up the great responsibility of
teaching (preaching)
the Word that came from God.
John
12:48 =
“He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not
my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have
spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”
12.
The Psalmist David wrote in Psalms
119:89 =
“Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled in
heaven.”
D.
THE GREAT RESPONSIBILITY PLACED UPON THE TEACHER OF
GOD’S WORD IS HELPING IN
THE DEVELOPING
OF THE SPIRITUAL NEEDS OF MANKIND:
1.
To be converted.
2.
The Need to be instructed in the Truth about God and
man.
a.
Man’s relationship to God.
b.
Man’s relationship to his fellowman.
3.
To grow in character (spiritually).
4.
To enrich man’s spiritual life in Christian service.
5.
To properly be guided in understanding a Christian
in:
a.
The Church.
b.
The home.
c.
The community.
6.
To accept Christian responsibility in serving the Lord.
7.
To strengthen others not be misled by every wind of
doctrine by:
a.
Teaching correctly
Scriptures that are twisted out of context.
Ephesians
4:14 = “That
we henceforth be
no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with
every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and
cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;”
2
Peter 3:16-18
= “As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to
be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable
wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own
destruction. Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before,
beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the
wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord
and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for
ever. Amen.”
b.
Teaching the correct plan of salvation.
c.
Teaching the
conduct of man in every day living
(1)
Children are constantly being born and growing up.
(2)
Strangers are moving in.
(3)
New converts.
(4)
Failure of some to grow up as they should [Hebrews
5:12].
E.
SOME CAUTIONS
FOR TEACHERS ALSO EMPHASIZE THE GREAT RESPONSIBILITY
PLACED UPON THEM:
1.
Do not attempt to teach what is not assuredly true.
2.
Do not undertake to teach what you do not understand.
3.
Do not try to teach, or explain, what cannot be explained.
4.
Do not waste time teaching what does not need to be
taught.
5.
Do not teach more than the Word of God, nor less than
the Word of God.
Deuteronomy
4:2 =
“Ye shall not add unto the word which I
command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that
ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I
command you."
Deuteronomy
12:32 = "What thing soever
I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto,
nor diminish from it.”
Jeremiah
26:2 =
“Thus saith the LORD; Stand in the court
of the LORD's house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah,
which come to worship in the LORD's house, all the words that
I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word:”
Revelation
22:18-19
= “For
I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy
of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God
shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
And if any man shall take away from the words of the
book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of
the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things
which are written in this book.”
III.
CONCLUSION:
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