Pay Close Attention to Your Teaching
In the same text that Paul told Timothy to pay close attention to yourself, he instructed Timothy to also pay close attention to his teaching. (I Timothy 4:16). The word here for teaching is doctrine. Our doctrine determines the standard that makes us who we are and the determining factor for all that we do. I’ve heard people say that we need to throw all doctrine out of the window and join our hearts together in faith. Faith in what? Are they talking about the doctrine of faith in Jesus? Apart from doctrine we do not know who, what, or even how to place our faith. If our doctrine then determines all that we believe and all that we do, then our doctrine must be sound, and centered in the Word of God.
Timothy was the pastor of the church of Ephesus. If his doctrine was flawed, his instruction to the church would also be flawed, thus, leading them down a potentially destructive path. God takes the proper instruction of His word seriously. James 3:1 gives us the warning, “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.” If we are improperly instructing individuals, we will one day be held accountable. Therefore, we need to pay close attention to our teaching with the upmost sincerity.
Paul told Timothy in II Timothy 3:16 some of the purposes of God’s word. He then told Timothy in the next verse that the end result of these purposes was, “that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” With this in mind Paul told Timothy to, “Preach the word.” (II Timothy 4:2). In the following verse after instructing Timothy to preach the word Paul warned Timothy, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires.” In II Timothy 4:2 when Paul told Timothy to preach the word, he also told him to, “be ready in season, and out of season.” In other words, whether it’s popular or not, you need to preach the word. Even if all of the world will not put up with sound doctrine, we need to stay faithful to the word and preach the word, thus, preach/teach sound doctrine.
In paying close attention to our teaching we need to make the bible our book of books. We don’t need to lean to heavily on commentaries or study books. We need to know for ourselves what the Word of God says. We need to study it thoroughly. We need to study it on our knees prayerfully seeking God to lead us into understanding. For the Word of God is alive and active, not study books and commentaries. Once we have thoroughly and prayerfully studied the Word of God we can certainly refer to commentaries and study books, but they need to be secondary; God’s word must be primary.
In my first semester of seminary I took an Old Testament survey class. One of the requirements of the class was to read through the Old Testament. Much to my surprise, some in the class admitted to never reading the Old Testament. My first thought was, “Why are you in seminary when you don’t even know what the bible says?” My second thought was, “Lord help us if these are future church leaders.” Yes the seminary teaches theology. But, to most people’s surprise they don’t thoroughly teach the bible. Rather, they give valuable tools to enhance your personal study of the bible. We must personally choose whether or not we will ever use those tools, just as we all, whether we have been to seminary or not, need to choose whether or not we will study God’s word on our own.
We all need to put ourselves under the anointed teaching and preaching of God’s word. After all, teaching is one of the spiritual gifts and preaching is commanded by God. If we are preachers/teachers of the Word of God we will be held accountable for how we handled the Word of God. When we have personal access to the Word of God using the excuse, “that’s how I was taught” will not be an acceptable defense. Therefore, as the KJV states it, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (II Timothy 2:15). Rusty Kuhn
Timothy was the pastor of the church of Ephesus. If his doctrine was flawed, his instruction to the church would also be flawed, thus, leading them down a potentially destructive path. God takes the proper instruction of His word seriously. James 3:1 gives us the warning, “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.” If we are improperly instructing individuals, we will one day be held accountable. Therefore, we need to pay close attention to our teaching with the upmost sincerity.
Paul told Timothy in II Timothy 3:16 some of the purposes of God’s word. He then told Timothy in the next verse that the end result of these purposes was, “that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” With this in mind Paul told Timothy to, “Preach the word.” (II Timothy 4:2). In the following verse after instructing Timothy to preach the word Paul warned Timothy, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires.” In II Timothy 4:2 when Paul told Timothy to preach the word, he also told him to, “be ready in season, and out of season.” In other words, whether it’s popular or not, you need to preach the word. Even if all of the world will not put up with sound doctrine, we need to stay faithful to the word and preach the word, thus, preach/teach sound doctrine.
In paying close attention to our teaching we need to make the bible our book of books. We don’t need to lean to heavily on commentaries or study books. We need to know for ourselves what the Word of God says. We need to study it thoroughly. We need to study it on our knees prayerfully seeking God to lead us into understanding. For the Word of God is alive and active, not study books and commentaries. Once we have thoroughly and prayerfully studied the Word of God we can certainly refer to commentaries and study books, but they need to be secondary; God’s word must be primary.
In my first semester of seminary I took an Old Testament survey class. One of the requirements of the class was to read through the Old Testament. Much to my surprise, some in the class admitted to never reading the Old Testament. My first thought was, “Why are you in seminary when you don’t even know what the bible says?” My second thought was, “Lord help us if these are future church leaders.” Yes the seminary teaches theology. But, to most people’s surprise they don’t thoroughly teach the bible. Rather, they give valuable tools to enhance your personal study of the bible. We must personally choose whether or not we will ever use those tools, just as we all, whether we have been to seminary or not, need to choose whether or not we will study God’s word on our own.
We all need to put ourselves under the anointed teaching and preaching of God’s word. After all, teaching is one of the spiritual gifts and preaching is commanded by God. If we are preachers/teachers of the Word of God we will be held accountable for how we handled the Word of God. When we have personal access to the Word of God using the excuse, “that’s how I was taught” will not be an acceptable defense. Therefore, as the KJV states it, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (II Timothy 2:15). Rusty Kuhn
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