All the wisdom and eloquence of a man cannot bring a soul to Christ. Only the Spirit can do that. And Paul warns the teacher that too often the intelligence and eloquence of a man has acted as a poor--dangerous--substitute for the genuine work of the Spirit. Sobering thought. Manipulation is sin.
The truth of God--the Word of God--is foolishness to the natural man who--because He does not have the indwelling presence of the Spirit--cannot begin to understand God's thoughts. Why then, i wonder, do we so often believe the natural man's views on what God's Word says and means--on what it is teaching?
One of the greatest dangers the Bible teacher faces in our post modern
world is deciding what Scripture means--what I want it to mean--and then
working on ways to prove it rather than simply believing what it says
and using that as the basis for teaching what God means and how it
applies to my life. Ah, the danger of telling God what He meant to
say--what I believe He should have said.
I believe it is more important--most important--that we in our teaching emphasize to our young people why the truth is true--why our assumptions are valid--than to teach them why the lies are not true.
We spend too much of our energy and methods lifting up personalities, institutions, and organizations in an effort to draw men to Christ. And they do flock to those personalities and give their loyalty to those institutions and organizations. But it is when Jesus is lifted up that all men are drawn to Him.
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength." "Love your neighbor as I have loved you." Genuine discipleship focuses on all of these--heart, soul, mind, and strength--not just on one of them. And on all of them equally.
In other words, I must rely totally on the Spirit not my own abilities if God's work is really going to occur in the hearts of the listeners.
No matter how many degrees an unsaved man has He cannot rightly divide the Word of Truth. Don't be awed by pedigree.
God is the Great Communicator. He says what He means. I am not His editor.
"You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." "Sanctify them through Your truth; Your Word is the truth."
Jesus only must be the focus of my teaching.
The command: "Go into all the world and make disciples." To do God's work, I must touch hearts, souls, minds, and strength. I must teach them to love their neighbor as deeply as they are loved by their Savior.
I believe it is more important--most important--that we in our teaching emphasize to our young people why the truth is true--why our assumptions are valid--than to teach them why the lies are not true.
We spend too much of our energy and methods lifting up personalities, institutions, and organizations in an effort to draw men to Christ. And they do flock to those personalities and give their loyalty to those institutions and organizations. But it is when Jesus is lifted up that all men are drawn to Him.
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength." "Love your neighbor as I have loved you." Genuine discipleship focuses on all of these--heart, soul, mind, and strength--not just on one of them. And on all of them equally.
In other words, I must rely totally on the Spirit not my own abilities if God's work is really going to occur in the hearts of the listeners.
No matter how many degrees an unsaved man has He cannot rightly divide the Word of Truth. Don't be awed by pedigree.
God is the Great Communicator. He says what He means. I am not His editor.
"You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." "Sanctify them through Your truth; Your Word is the truth."
Jesus only must be the focus of my teaching.
The command: "Go into all the world and make disciples." To do God's work, I must touch hearts, souls, minds, and strength. I must teach them to love their neighbor as deeply as they are loved by their Savior.
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