Read with Me
James 3:1 (HCSB)
Not many should become teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive a stricter judgment,
Listen with Me
In James’ day as in our own, there were a plethora of people who knew a bit, and who wanted the esteem of being a teacher. Some of these were truly great men and women who helped people to grow as disciples. Others, however, were only interested in the esteem that went with the title, and they often did much more harm than good.
The history of the church is filled with stories of the damage done to the souls of people by false or poor teachers. One problem is that when poor teachers reach reached the end of their knowledge, it feels threatening to simply say, “I don’t know, let me research that and get back to you.” They feel that they must have an answer for every question. So, they give an answer off the top of their heads, and they do it with authority. So, people believe what they say, incorporate those answers into their own belief system, and even pass this erroneous information on to others.
The other problem is that in order to gain and hold disciples, teachers are often under pressure to not stick with the traditional interpretations of the Scriptures. Instead, they feel pressure to come up with their own unique spin on what God has said, a new and novel interpretation that will hold people’s attention and keep them coming back.
The problem with both these errors is that these false or “twisted” teachings actually affect the hearts and souls of people. They lead them down paths that end in spiritual death, or paths from which it is a severe struggle to get back into the right way. And when a teacher’s unique spin on the truth is discovered to be false or even sinful, it damages the faith of their followers, sometimes causing them to fall away entirely and erecting a huge block to their being able to ever return.
For this reason, James points out that being a teacher in the Church is a fearsome responsibility, one that has such potential for harm if done poorly or with wrong motives that teachers will be judged more strictly by God than other offices in the Church. And, for that reason, to enter into that role should only be done by those who are genuinely called by God, and who will conscientiously and humbly learn from Him before they teach His people.
Pray with Me
Father, when we think about it in those terms, being a teacher really is an awesome responsibility before You. Help me, Lord, as I teach, to always stay close to the whole counsel of Your word, to continually be immersed in it, so that its truths inform everything I think, everything I teach. Help me to never turn aside from those truths, neither to the left nor to the right. Help me to shy away from so-called “new truths” and novel interpretations of Your word, and to teach instead Your plain truths in ways that people can grasp them and incorporate them into their own lives and hearts. And in all of this, help me to always seek to glorify Your name, not mine. Amen.