Advice for those Teaching

Rom. 1:16
    
    One of the primary objectives for Christian’s should be teaching others. This is what Jesus Christ wanted from His disciples, to go teach more and make more disciples (Matt. 28:18-20). We see Christian’s reprimanded in the Scriptures for either not teaching, or not knowing the scriptures well enough to be teachers (Heb. 5:12; 1 Peter 3:15). We also see warnings for those who were teaching with ulterior motives, fame, exaltation, or other reasons than seeking and saving the lost (James 3:1-2; 1 Tim. 1:7). The advice I have for those attempting to teach, as we have been commanded to do, is two fold: know God’s word (2 Tim. 2:15-16) and remember that it’s God’s word that holds the power to convict sin (Rom. 1:16; Acts 2:14-38). Paul was specific in saying when he taught the Corinthians and did not do so in “superiority of speech or of wisdom,” rather he was just “proclaiming to you the testimony of God” (1 Cor. 1:1-2). He told those in Thessalonica that they, Paul, Silas, and Timothy (1 Thess. 1:1), “never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed.” Simply “preach the word” and people will be converted (2 Tim. 4:1-2; Acts 8:4). Remember the example we can learn from Jonah. He preached 8 words, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown” and the entire city of Nineveh repented (Jonah 3:4 - 4:2). Know God’s word, and preach God’s word. Nothing more or less needs to be said. I love you all!

In His service,
Steven Hugley