Rules Governing The Gift Of Teaching

[WebersHome]

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According to Rom 12:6-8 and 1Cor 12:4-30, the ability to teach for Christ is a spiritual gift.

And according to 1Cor 12:8-11, it is the Holy Ghost's decision who gets selected for it.

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[mcarmichael]

Maybe it's what they call "Ordination"?

 

[WebersHome]

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Maybe it's what they call "Ordination"?

Spiritual gifts cannot be obtained from ecclesiastical authorities.

● Rom 12:6 . . We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.

● 1Cor 12:11 . . All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He gives them to each one, just as he determines.

● Eph 4:11 . . It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers

I gather from those three passages that seminaries may produce teachers, but not necessarily teachers enabled by the Spirit to teach for Christ.

The reason Christ was so good at teaching is because he was God-enabled. (Luke 4:18-19, John 3:34). In other words: Christ was enabled by the Spirit to teach for God.

In my experience, there's a serious shortage of Spirit-enabled Sunday school teachers. Many of those I encounter are making do with lesson materials that they themselves did not author, nor have the ability to author were they required to; and that's no doubt because they've been okayed to teach by their church rather than okayed to do so by Christ. They might be serving their church, but I honestly do not believe they are serving Christ because the Spirit has not given them the necessary grace to do so.

● Jas 3:1 . . Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

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[mcarmichael]

Okay, but what does that look like?
Does it look like "Neglect not the gift that is in you, which was given you by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery."?

 

[WebersHome]

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"Neglect not the gift that is in you, which was given you by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery."? [1Tim 4:14]

According to Rom 12:6, 1Cor 12:10, and Eph 4:11, prophecy is a spiritual gift; viz: had not somebody with the gift of prophecy revealed that Timothy had a gift, then his church's managers would not have known to lay their hands on him.

I don't know how modern church managers go about discerning who has this gift and/or who has that gift; but if perchance they have bona fide prophets in their midst; that would be quite an advantage.

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[WebersHome]

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Before they can begin to teach others, potential teachers themselves need to first undergo adequate instruction.

● Heb 5:12-14 . . In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

You could say that the recipients of that evaluation were developmentally delayed; viz: late bloomers, due to malnutrition.

Clearly then, the gift to teach doesn't come packaged with information. It's left up to those with the gift to take the initiative to obtain information so their God-given ability will have something to work with. It's not too difficult to appreciate just how limited Stephen Hawking's thinking would be had he not first studied something about mathematics, physics, and cosmology.

● 2Tim 2:2 . .The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.

Churches are sort of like Ponzi schemes. Congregations are always in need of new teachers coming in to replace those who are going out, e.g. the retiring, the dead, the dying, the dropping out, and the moving away.

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[WebersHome]

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● 2Tim 2:24 . . And the Lord's servant must . . . be able to teach

There's a rule governing the gift of teaching that goes on the dotted line. It reads like this:

-- not quarrel; instead. kind to everyone --

The koiné Greek word for quarrel is machomai (makh'-om-ahee) which means: to war, i.e. dispute.

Well; disputing is what car salesmen do because they're desperate to move vehicles. But the Lord's servant isn't a salesman; no, he's a herald; which is essentially a messenger.

Quite a few of the people I encounter on internet forums aren't the heralding type. No; they're rivalrous, competitive, confrontational, and combative; and get really upset when I don't agree with and/or support their POV.

The Greek word for "kind" is epios (ay'-pee-os) which essentially means affable, i.e. mild

Webster's defines "mild" as gentle in nature or behavior; viz: temperate; in other words: agreeable, approachable, reasonable, calm, tactful, mellow, and composed and self-controlled.

Non-mild people could be characterized as moody, grudging, irritable, emotional, thin-skinned, belligerent, pugnacious, brawling, defensive, flaming, confrontational, and reactive; around whom everybody has to walk on egg shells all the time to avoid setting them off.

Patience and kindness are important; ergo: impatient, unkind people should not attempt to teach for Christ even if he has bestowed upon them the actual, honest to gosh, gift of teaching; otherwise they'll be representing him in the flesh instead of in the Spirit.

● Gal 5:21-22 . .The fruit of the Spirit is patience and kindness.

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[WebersHome]

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● Rom 12:7b . . If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching.

I had a Sunday school teacher once who worked as a maintenance man in a public swimming facility. One Saturday he had to work late repairing some equipment at the pool and had no time to prepare his lesson plan for Sunday morning so he just threw something together. It stunk; and my wife and I got nothing out of it.

In contrast, I once knew a pastor who took all week long to prepare his Sunday morning sermons; rather than just Saturday night. Now there was a guy who knew what it means to "do a good job of teaching". His heart was really in it.

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[Gluttonous Winebibber]

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According to Rom 12:6-8 and 1Cor 12:4-30, the ability to teach for Christ is a spiritual gift.

And according to 1Cor 12:8-11, it is the Holy Ghost's decision who gets selected for it.

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The "rule" is the realize that you are given the insight to share with others (1 Corinthians 4:7)(1 Corinthians 2:11), not that you came to the understanding on your own. This does take a certain mindset to accept though.

 

[WebersHome]

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● 1Tim 3:1-2 . . If any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. An overseer, then, must be . . . able to teach

The koiné Greek word for "overseer" is episkopos (ep-is'-kop-os) which essentially refers to superintendents, i.e. department heads.

Seeing as how teaching is a prerequisite here, then I'd guess that the department heads in view are the ones responsible for Christian education, i.e. the various Sunday school classes; e.g. children, teen-agers, young adults, married couples, singles, and senior citizens, etc.

I think it's reasonable to assume that Christian education department heads lacking the gift of teaching quite naturally gravitate towards, and select, under-teachers who also lack the gift of teaching; which is no doubt why Paul said, via the inspiration of God, that an overseer's ability to teach is a must.

Can you just imagine the mess a church is in when not only its education departments lack the gift of teaching; but on top of that its pastors lack the gift of pastoring? From the pulpit to the pew, everyone in that church is out of sync with Christ.

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[WebersHome]

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● Eph 4:11 . . It was he who gave some to be . . . teachers

Christ's teachers serve some very important purposes

The gift of teaching is a safeguard against sophistry. (Eph 4:14)

The gift of teaching is also essential to unity in the faith. (Eph 4:13)

And essential to growth. (Eph 4:13)

And essential to Christ-likeness. (Eph 4:13)

And essential to edification. (Eph 4:12)

And essential to a knowledge of the Son of God. (Eph 4:13)

Without somebody available with the gift of teaching, Christ's sheep would end up self-taught, and that is not a good thing.

● 2Pet 3:15-17 . .Our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.

Some years ago I was invited to a home Bible study. Before considering his invitation; I asked the host if his group was led by a competent Bible teacher. He said: "No; we don't have a teacher. The group teaches itself. In other words: we speak as the Spirit leads us." I declined because as far as I'm concerned; Bible studies lacking gifted teachers aren't Bible studies at all. They're bull sessions akin to blind men in a dark room looking for a black cat that isn't there.

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[WebersHome]

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● 2Tim 3:16 . . All scripture is useful for teaching

At the time when the apostle Paul wrote that comment to his pal Timothy, "scripture" was almost exclusively limited to the Old Testament. So then, it's my judgment that someone Spirit-empowered to teach for Christ, should work with the Old Testament as well as the New because he did.

● Luke 24:44-45 . .Then he said to them: These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning me. And he opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the scriptures.

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[ToBeLoved]

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In my experience, there's a serious shortage of Spirit-enabled Sunday school teachers. Many of those I encounter are making do with lesson materials that they themselves did not author, nor have the ability to author were they required to; and that's no doubt because they've been okayed to teach by their church rather than okayed to do so by Christ. They might be serving their church, but I honestly do not believe they are serving Christ because the Spirit has not given them the necessary grace to do so.

I don't know that I agree with the entire Sunday school teacher position that you have taken.

I don't think that this position necessarily needs a gift of teaching and since it is almost always volunteers then would not the issue be that the people with the gift of teaching are not stepping up to the plate to teach?

 

[ToBeLoved]

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Can you just imagine the mess a church is in when not only its education departments lack the gift of teaching; but on top of that its pastors lack the gift of pastoring? From the pulpit to the pew, everyone in that church is out of sync with Christ.

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What do you believe is the remedy for this situation? How do you believe it should be fixed?

 

[WebersHome]

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would not the issue be that the people with the gift of teaching are not stepping up to the plate to teach?

I rather think the issue is simply a shortage of Spirit-enabled teachers; and that is very serious.

1) Christ's gift is a safeguard against sophistry. (Eph 4:14)

2) His gift is also essential to unity in the faith. (Eph 4:13)

3) And essential to growth. (Eph 4:13)

4) And essential to Christ-likeness. (Eph 4:13)

5) And essential to edification. (Eph 4:12)

6) And essential to a knowledge of the Son of God. (Eph 4:13)

If a teacher lacks Christ's gift; then in my judgment, they should not be attempting to get by without it.

● Jas 3:1 . . Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

I believe it is the personal responsibility of every one of Christ's followers to know their place in the body; and therein to serve him rather than somewhere for which they are neither Spirit-equipped nor have a right to be.

● Rom 12:3-8 . . Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

. . .We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

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[WebersHome]

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What do you believe is the remedy for this situation? How do you believe it should be fixed?

One of the Spirit's gifts is called the word of wisdom (1Cor 12:8) which I believe refers to advisors and/or counselors. Well; I don't have that gift; viz: in regards to fixing gift-deprived churches, I have no clue.

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[ToBeLoved]

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I rather think the issue is simply a shortage of Spirit-enabled teachers; and that is very serious.

1) Christ's gift is a safeguard against sophistry. (Eph 4:14)

2) His gift is also essential to unity in the faith. (Eph 4:13)

3) And essential to growth. (Eph 4:13)

4) And essential to Christ-likeness. (Eph 4:13)

5) And essential to edification. (Eph 4:12)

6) And essential to a knowledge of the Son of God. (Eph 4:13)

If a teacher lacks Christ's gift; then in my judgment, they should not be attempting to get by without it.

● Jas 3:1 . . Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

I believe it is the personal responsibility of every one of Christ's followers to know their place in the body; and therein to serve him rather than somewhere for which they are neither Spirit-equipped nor have a right to be.

● Rom 12:3-8 . . Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

. . .We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

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Under your premise then, if all the Spirit filled people are stepping up, then is it the Holy Spirit's fault for not giving enough gifts of teaching out?

The Holy Spirit is responsible for the distribution of gifts.

I don't believe that those who teach Sunday school need to have the spirit of teaching. They follow workbooks in most cases.

 

[WebersHome]

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Under your premise then, if all the Spirit filled people are stepping up, then is it the Holy Spirit's fault for not giving enough gifts of teaching out?

In the Spirit's judicious estimation, certain churches are unworthy of Christ's gifts; i.e. supplying them with his empowered teachers would be throwing good money after bad; so to speak.

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[ToBeLoved]

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In the Spirit's judicious estimation, certain churches are unworthy of Christ's gifts; i.e. supplying them with his empowered teachers would be throwing good money after bad; so to speak.
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That's not what God's Word says though.

God's Word says that through Christ we are equipped in all things needed to be righteous and holy in Him.

God or the Holy Spirit cannot turn His back on His own Truth. God is only Truth.

 

[WebersHome]

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That's not what God's Word says though. God's Word says that through Christ we are equipped in all things needed to be righteous and holy in Him.God or the Holy Spirit cannot turn His back on His own Truth. God is only Truth.

● John 15:1-7 . . I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

. . . I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

I think you might be surprised at the number of Laodicea-type Christian churches whose entire congregations, including the church's managers, that are so disassociated from Christ that they're of no more value to God than yard debris. (Rev 3:14-22)

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