Great Manifesto for Church Education! Part 4 - Final

Correct Teaching

In this last and final installment on the "Great Manifesto for Church Education" we consider how the Lord Jesus would have the church provide correct teaching for those who are discipled. He says: that I have commanded you – teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.

Matthew 28:19-20 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

The church is not free to teach was in accordance with her own fancy, but is to teach the things which Christ has commanded. Now this means that our teaching must be according to the Word of God. Everything we teach must flow from the Word of God. Paul speaks of the sufficiency of the Word of God when speaking to Timothy:

2Ti 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Do you see what he is saying? All teaching is to flow from the Word of God – that is what Christ has commanded! But that further implies that when responding to teaching we must search the Word of God to see whether these things are as they are taught. We can’t respond with simply our opinions or our feelings but only on the basis of the Word of God.

I remember doing a home visit some years ago when the father of the home said that he thought we should sing hymns in the worship service. I asked him if he had studied the Word of God on this issue – to which he responded: No! I asked him whether he had read any books on this topic to which he responded: No, I don’t read books. I asked him then why he thought we should sing hymns in the worship service to which he responded: I just like to sing hymns – I enjoy hymns! And so I encouraged him to study the issue and then make his request on the basis of the Word of God. I never heard back from him again. Regardless of whether or not someone believes that hymns should be sung in the worship service, we must agree that we should let the Word of God be our guide, not our wants or feelings.

But least we are too critical of him, how often don’t we respond in the same way? How often we speak to a matter stating our opinions without ever having searched the Word of God? How often don’t we hold tightly to our position, simply because it is always the way that we’ve done it, without understanding what the Bible states? I could mention so many issues which are like that – hymn singing, bible translations, church discipline, Christian education, etc. etc. People speaking, not on the basis of God’s Word but on the basis of human wisdom, desire, or emotion! Let us speak on the basis of the Word of God!

Now as we close this little series let me give you a few reasons why we have considered this aspect of teaching and why it is so important.

The first reason is simply because in a couple of weeks ago we being a new season of education both in the church and schools. In the church we have catechism classes, young people classes, Sunday School classes and other opportunities for our young people.

• I want to encourage the young people to diligently apply yourself to learning – listening to the instruction you receive – and responding appropriately to it by a change life – a new life of obedience in Christ!
• Parents, I want to encourage you to support the teachers by reviewing your son and/or daughter’s work; by reviewing their memory work; by interacting with them about the material.

The second is that there are also many opportunities for the adults in our congregations to learn. Let us not assume that we are every too old to learn or that we know enough of the Scriptures. No doubt there are many opportunities for you to learn as well whether that is ladies or men's society meetings, Sunday night studies and other opportunities for studying and learning. If you are physically able, are you participating in at least one of these opportunities? And if you are not able to come to any of them for legitimate reasons, are you yet a student in the school of Christ?

The third reason is that I am very concerned at the lack of knowledge that exists in the church today! One text that I’ve never dared to preach on yet, is Hosea 4:6 where the Lord denounces his people:

Hos 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.

Is that indictment true of the church today? For some it most certainly is – so let us press on making disciples teaching them to observe all that Christ has commanded! And let me end with the last words of Matthew for our encouragement in this task of teaching and learning:

Mat 28:20 "… lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

As crucial as teaching is in making disciples for effective fulfillment we need to have the assurance of the continued presence of the Lord Jesus in our work. All our work; all our teaching; all our learning; would be useless if the Lord didn’t bless our work! So let us go forth with that promise of Christ – I am with you always, even to the end of the age!