The Gift of Teaching

Not many of you should become teachers . . . we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.

James 3:1

There are many things that break my heart: war, poverty, sickness, orphans, hatred, terrorism, etc. I have hope in spite of these things because there’s an answer through Christ Jesus. Yet the damage of false teachings not only escalates those heartbreaking realities; it destroys hope in a God of love, justice, and righteousness.

James wrote that many of us should not be teachers, primarily because we will have a stricter judgment on us than others. With the proliferation of social media, we find that many people consider themselves teachers of Christ when, in fact, they are false teachers. They are driven by a love of money, favor of the culture, and a lust for power.

For those who’ve been given the charge of teaching God’s people, it’s a true joy to witness them being set free from false teachings, the grip of Satan, and the bondage of sin. Our drive to teach sound doctrine is driven by our calling from God. We can’t neglect this great gift from our Savior. How are those with the gift of teaching supposed to teach?

Teach with integrity. (Titus 2:7)

Teach what is good. (Titus 2:3)

Teach with sound doctrine. (Titus 2:1)

Teach without hypocrisy. (1 Timothy 4:16)

Teach with wisdom. (Colossians 1:28)

Teach about godliness. (1 Timothy 6:3)

Teach about Christ. (Acts 28:31)

It’s not that Bible teachers are perfect people—Jesus is the only perfect Teacher. We have to continue to develop our spiritual gift with meditating, studying, and learning what we can from the Bible. We also become better teachers as we learn from those who teach us. This holy calling is a gift that keeps giving well into eternity for those who trust in the Lord and not in themselves.