A Quote About Teachers And Teaching

[Zephyr]

I spotted this statement on Facebook from Patrick at Philippians 1:9 Ministries. I really like and agree with what he said:

It’s a problem when people have more respect for the “teacher” than they do the actual teaching. When they just accept what’s said because of the person who said it.
All men are fallible (this is nothing new). All denominations have things wrong. It’s not my way, it’s not your way….It’s God’s Way and He tells us this way in His Word!
Nowhere does God say certain men or women will know more than you or be more spiritual than you simply because of their position, influence, gifting, calling or title.
Be discipled yes, BUT be God’s disciple first and foremost. Follow Jesus by following His Word written in the 66 books of the Bible.
If you attach yourself too much to the teacher and later you become aware of anything being taught or done contrary to scripture or worse, it will be a much more difficult situation. Let what’s actually being taught be of first priority. Always examine the teaching to Scripture.

 

[....]

I spotted this statement on Facebook from Patrick at Philippians 1:9 Ministries. I really like and agree with what he said:

VERY much agree: teachers themselves (aside from the Lord Jesus) are merely human and are capable of all the same faults we are. This is where discernment and a commitment to the truth the Lord gives us must be first.

 

[mattfivefour]

Excellent advice, Z and Sojo! Thank you.

 

[Everlasting Life]

I've always appreciated teachers/pastors/ministers who encourage people not to take them at their word but to double check for themselves in God's Word.

 

[Quantrill]

I agree with what everyone here has said. When we sit amongst a congregation of believers, listening to a certain teacher of the Word, we do so with our Bibles open comparing Scripture with Scripture with what the teacher or pastor says.

When I was much younger and growing in the faith and knowledge of our Lord, a guest speaker came to our church. And I sat with another brother in the Lord, and we listened with our Bibles open, checking what he said with Scripture.

After his presentation was over and most church memebers had already left, me and this other brother were still sitting there conversing over what the speaker had said and looking up Scripture to validate. There was nothing wrong or bad in what he said. But we wanted to see it in Scripture.

The guest speaker then walked by us and stopped. He looked at us and said, boys, that's going to get you in trouble some day. How right he was.

We do check, but we also do know the Lord uses men to teach His Word. (Acts 1:1) "The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,"

In other words, all that Jesus taught in His earthly ministry was just the beginning. He continues to teach by His Spirit in the lives of His people. (Rom. 8:9)

Quantrill