May 1999 Issue

The Tongue...

Teaching Error....

By Charles Law

Jas 3:1, "My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation." KJV

Jas 3:1, "Be not many of you teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive heavier judgment." ASV

There is a heavy responsibility placed on those who teach. Souls hang in the balance. The soul of the teacher and them that hear him. Truth must be taught and not error. John 8:32, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Thus, Paul instructs Timothy to take heed to the doctrine. 1 Tim. 4:16,"Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee." It is essential that we abide in the doctrine of Christ. 2 John 1:9, "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son."

We must use our tongue to speak the truth of God and not error. 1Peter 4:11, "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 4:29, "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers."

We are warned that there will be false teachers. Even among those who claim to be the children of God. 2 Peter 2:1, "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of." 2 Cor. 11:13-15, "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." These are not content with the pure word of God, but want to add to or delete from the truth. The temptation is there for us to add our own opinions or to leave off the things that don’t seem to fit into our line of reasoning. The end result is another gospel. Galatians 1:6-8, "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." Condemnation is here pronounced on those who would pervert the gospel. The Roman letter tells us that such ought to be marked and avoided. Romans 16:17, 18, "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple."

Our tongue can be a very useful and powerful tool for good, if we will train it to speak only the word of God. On the other hand, it will bring misery and destruction if we use it to teach error. The real power is in the word of God. Hebrews 4:12, "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerned of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."

We must be careful that we don’t teach error ignorantly, or unintentionally. It is possible to teach error if we do not spend enough time studying the word of God. Teaching error is not a light thing. It can have terrible consequences.

2 Thesss 2: 12, "That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in
unrighteousness."

We certainly would not want to teach anything that would cause someone to be lost. Therefore, we need to give diligence in our efforts to study and teach the word of God.

2 Timothy 2:15, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

We need to test everything with the Word of God and not take it as truth just because our favorite preacher, parents, or most people teach it that way.

1 Thess. 5:21, "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good."

Acts 17:11, "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the
word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things
were so."

1 John 4:1, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of
God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."

Let us guard our tongue that we don’t teach error. For we will have to give account for our words. Matthew 12:36,37, "But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned."

It will be a sad day for us in the judgement, if we by our teaching have caused others to be lost.

Matt 18:6,7, "But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were
better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in
the depth of the sea. Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that
offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!"

Our tongue will be either a blessing, or a curse, it all depends own how we use it.

Proverbs 18:21, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof."

Proverbs 13:3, "He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction."

[Editor’s Note: Many thanks to Charles Law for good article written above! Charles can be reached via email at belindalaw@juno.com ]

Email the Editor at markjward@yahoo.com