The Value of Teaching

2 Timothy 4:3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

3 Ἔσται γὰρ καιρὸς ὅτε τῆς ὑγιαινούσης διδασκαλίας οὐκ ἀνέξονται ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὰς ἰδίας ἐπιθυμίας ἑαυτοῖς ἐπισωρεύσουσιν διδασκάλους κνηθόμενοι τὴν ἀκοὴν 4  καὶ ἀπὸ μὲν τῆς ἀληθείας τὴν ἀκοὴν ἀποστρέψουσιν, ἐπὶ δὲ τοὺς μύθους ἐκτραπήσονται.

Paul has just finished explaining the value of Scripture in 3:16-17 and now he is explaining his admonition to Timothy that he preach the word.  This is the reason why.  There will be a time when people will not endure sound teaching.  You don't have to look very far to realize that this clearly speaks to our society today.

Sadly, this even permeates our churches.  You can find folks reading Joel Osteen, yet they identify themselves as evangelical.  T.D. Jakes is a bestseller, despite the fact that he denies the Trinity and is a Oneness Pentecostal.  Joyce Meyer's particular blend of psychology, self-help, and Word-Faith theology packs out coliseums around the country.  Why?  These so-called teachers tell people what they need to feel better about themselves.

Of course, the Bible is full of promises that help us to feel better.  But the difference is that they are promises that make us feel better because of who God is and who we are in Him.  The Bible is about Jesus, not about us.  If we just read it like a fortune cookie we may think that it is all about us, but it's really His story, not ours.

This is why it is important to study and teach theology.  We need to look for answers to the fundamental questions of life.  Who is God?  Who is man?  What does man need to be reconciled to God?  If we are reconciled then how should we live as a result of this reconciliation?

Read your Bible that you may know God.  Everything begins to fall into place after that.

Defending Intellectualism

Take a read through this article in the Washington Post. This speaks to a problem in our culture as a whole, but I also think that it speaks to a problem within the church as well. The third point is what really struck me.

I think that perhaps I have a bias since I am in seminary, but I think that there is a real place for education in the church. I have personally been guilty of not having enough feeling in my faith, but I think that we need to make sure that our faith is first rooted in cold, hard rationality. That last clause may seem like an oxymoron to an atheist or a paradox to anyone, but I do think that there is a place for rationality with faith.

We know from Hebrews that God is the author and perfector of our faith. From Ephesians 2 we know that faith is a gift that He gives us. However, we also see Paul’s exhortation to Timothy that the young pastor should study to show himself approved. I do not take this to mean that study is a necessary part of salvation as some do. However, I do think that it means that there is an expectation that leaders will indeed study.

What is study? I think it’s more than just going through the links in a chain-reference Bible. I think that it is learning about the culture of the times when the books were written. I think that it involves learning something about the original languages so that we can better understand the author’s meaning. How can we faithfully unpack Scripture for our congregations if we fail in the proper interpretation of a passage?

I still believe in the priesthood of the believer as spelled out in 1 Peter 2. However, I also think that Ephesians 4:11 makes it clear that there are jobs for pastors and teachers. James 3 seems to make a distinction for teachers as well. I hope that I can be a good one.

Plodding Along

One thing I considered this morning is that fasting makes the days go by slower. However, this is a good thing because my classes start on August 22, which will be my first day of solid food if all goes according to plan. I really should be savoring these days. I need to keep reminding myself that I need to get the focus off of me and my discomfort and on to the cross.

In this week's teaching Mike Cleveland asked us to share a verse that encouraged us. Here is what I wrote. I hope that it is at least somewhat encouraging for you.

1Sa 22:1-2 ESV
(1) David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him.
(2) And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became captain over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.

This refers to the people going to David when he was fleeing from Saul. However, as I read verse 2 I am reminded of:

Mat 11:28-30 ESV
(28) Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
(29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
(30) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

I love it when I get a fresh glimpse of Christ while reading the Old Testament! Certainly this is not a perfect picture, but I do see it as a "shadow". Notice what happened to those who went to David. They came to him in various forms of distress, but he became captain over them and joined him. That certainly reminds me of coming to Christ in the distress of my sin and having the honor of Christ becoming my "captain".