Be Watchful
As Paul writes to Timothy, his child in the faith, he tells him something important. He says, "Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers" (1 Timothy 4:16, ESV). Why would Paul write this to Timothy? The answer is simple. He needs to keep a close watch because there are a lot of pitfalls. There will be many opportunities and temptations for Timothy to drift from the faithful proclamation of the gospel. The warning that Paul gives to Timothy, and by extension, all teachers in the church, is twofold. The first warning is to keep watch on yourself, and the second is to watch the teaching. As we go through this article, we will be looking at how these two warnings actually cover a multitude of dangers that teachers face within the church. As teachers, especially as those who train other teachers, we need to be watchful. We need to keep a close watch on ourselves and the teaching.
Watch Yourself
The first warning is to be watchful of yourself. This is a warning about our conduct. A warning about how we act among our brothers and sisters in the church and in the world at large. Character matters. There is a reason that the qualifications for elders/pastors in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 start with the fact that he must be above reproach. A teacher in the church needs to be a trustworthy person. If we are known in the community as a liar or a cheat, how can we expect someone to listen to what we are saying? If we go around treating people like they are beneath us, then get up on Sunday and teach that we are to love one another, no one is going to listen to us. There used to be a popular fable about the boy who cried wolf. The point of the parable is that when the wolf finally came, no one listened to the boy because he had lost all credibility in the eyes of his listeners. It does not matter how truthful the message is if the one who is sharing it is not trustworthy. The message cannot be separated from the messenger. So keep a close watch on yourself. Preach the gospel to yourself daily and live in light of it.
Watch the Teaching
While a good character is essential, it by itself is not enough. The message must also be true. Peter's words are helpful here. He writes, "For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:16). He goes on to say that they were eyewitnesses to the majesty of the Lord. We cannot be eyewitnesses, but we can be faithful to those who were. Today, all kinds of errors run rampant in the church. From heresies that have been around since the beginning of the church to new issues, there is no shortage of things to be watchful for. What makes it harder now is the availability of these errors. YouTube, Facebook, and other social media outlets provide a worldwide platform for false teaching. It used to be that a teacher in the church was seen as an authority. Now, the person with 100,000 views on TikTok has more authority in the minds of many. Cultural concerns take precedence over the truth of scripture.
Some Specifics
With the multitude of issues, it is worth taking some time to look at some particular errors. The most prevalent for today are the issues of sexuality and abortion. Sexuality has a number of subheadings, such as transgenderism, homosexuality, and pronouns, to name a few. Each of these issues could be an article or whole book in and of itself, and in fact, many have written them. For today, we will point out the need to be faithful to the teachings of scripture. The message has not changed since it was written down 2000 years ago. The changing culture cannot and does not change the message of scripture. The truth of Genesis does not change because someone comes along and says that they are able to change the definition of marriage or what it means to be a woman. The same goes for abortion. Murder does not change because someone claims that a pre-born child is less than a human.
Remember Jesus Christ
All these issues are tied together with a watering down of the gospel. This is the most dangerous and subtle pitfall. It could start with taking the command to repentance out of the message. Repentance is not the gospel but the commanded response to it. Another error is when the gospel is changed from salvation from sin and death to a message that Jesus loves you. This is one of those subtle errors. It is subtle because it contains truth. Jesus does indeed love us. He loves us so much that he willingly laid down his life for us. But if the message of love is separated from the hatred of sin, it is no longer the love of God. A gospel that does not preach sin is no gospel. There are many today who will say that Jesus is their savior but have no idea what he saves them from. The church is full of people who believe that they are saved because they go to church or because they have prayed a prayer and yet have no idea what they are supposed to be saved from. Faithful teachers must teach the whole gospel. That Jesus saves us from the wrath of God poured out against our sin.
A Solemn Charge
In Paul's second letter to Timothy, he gives him a solemn charge. He writes, "I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching" (2 Timothy 4:1-2). The charge is to preach faithfully, but what is striking about it is how Paul makes the charge. He makes reference to God, Jesus Christ, the judge of the living and the dead, his appearance, and his kingdom. The point is that Timothy will be accountable to God for how he preaches. As we teach, and especially as you work to train others to be teachers in the church, we need to remember that we are accountable to teach rightly according to the Word of God. We need to impress this charge on all who teach in the church. It does not matter if they teach children's Sunday school or give a sermon to the whole church, the charge is the same. Be ready. Be watchful. Be faithful.
Soli Deo Gloria
Resources
Lawson, Steven J. Called to Preach: Fulfilling the High Calling of Expository Preaching. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group, 2022.
Comments