Ponder: The imperative of teaching
Scripture: “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy. 2:2, NKJV).
Some diseases are contagious; you can catch them even if you try not to. Christianity, by contrast, is a taught religion, not a caught one. Just being around Christians might influence you to emulate their manner of life. But virtuous behavior, commendable though it is, cannot wash your sins away. That requires being cleansed by the blood of Christ, which occurs when you are taught the gospel and believe and obey it. Even then you need continued teaching to observe all that Jesus commanded (Matthew 28:20).
People’s need to be taught God’s word didn’t begin with the New Testament. God made the priests (Leviticus 10:11) and Levites (Deuteronomy 33:10) responsible for teaching His Law to ancient Israel. He also required parents to teach His word diligently to their children and to “talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up” (Deuteronomy 6:7). When God’s word was faithfully taught, Israel prospered; when it was not, wholesale apostasy resulted, including idolatry and immorality.
If consistent teaching was needed under the Old Covenant, how much more is it essential under the new and better covenant? God commands parents (especially fathers) to bring up their children “in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). Bible classes at church can help, but they must be seen as a supplement to parental teaching, never as a substitute for it.
If you are teaching God’s word, may He bless you richly for it. If you aren’t, please know that Christianity is a taught religion. If not you, who? If not now, when?
Hymn: “Lead Me To Some Soul Today”
Prayer: Father, we thank You for the soul-saving gospel. May we be diligent teaching it. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
–Joe Slater
