By Frank Jamerson
Under Judaism, or the Old Law, people were born into God’s family by
having Jewish parents, and then they had to be taught to “know the
Lord.” Jeremiah, the prophet, said that the day would come when
“they shall teach no more every man his neighbor and every man his
brother, saying, Know the Lord; for they shall all know me, from the
least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord…” (Jeremiah
31:34). This passage is quoted in Hebrews 8 and applied to the New
Testament. Therefore, under the New Covenant, people must be taught
to “know the Lord” before they can enter God’s family.
Jesus emphasized the importance of teaching when he said, “It is
written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every
man therefore that hath heard from the Father, and hath learned,
cometh unto me” (John 6:45). In Matthew’s account of the “great
commission,” Jesus said, “Teach all nations” and, after baptizing
them, “teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded
you” (Matthew 20:18-20). Christ also stressed the importance of
teaching when He said that “the seed is the word of God” (Luke
8:11). Just as there can be no harvest without seed, there can be no
child of God without the word being taught and obeyed.
Every child of God should learn to teach others. The writer of
Hebrews said, “For when by reason of time ye ought to be teachers,
ye have need again that some one teach you the rudiments of the
first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have
need of milk, and not solid food” (Hebrews 5:12). Paul told Timothy,
“And the things which thou hast heard from me among many witnesses,
the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach
others also” (2 Timothy 2:2).
There are some conclusions that we would like to make from these
facts:
1. Christianity cannot be inherited. A person who was “raised in the
church” (by parents who were Christians), does not automatically
enter God’s family. God has no grandchildren! Each person must be
taught the word. Many who were “raised in the church” have left
their “inherited religion” because they were not taught. Both
parents and churches have neglected to plant the seed while the
ground was receptive. We must not assume that our children will grow
up believing the truth, we must teach them.
2. Infants cannot be in the church. Under the Old Covenant, those
who were born of Jewish parents were automatically in God’s chosen
family, but having Christian parents does not make one a Christian.
Children must be “taught to know the Lord” before they can obey Him,
just as their parents had to be taught. This implies that when
children grow to the age of accountability, they must act
individually. Sin is not inherited; neither is forgiveness.
3. The truth must be obeyed. Jesus said, “Ye shall know the truth,
and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Paul taught the same
truth when he said, “But thanks be to God, that whereas ye were
servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of
teaching whereunto ye were delivered; and being made free from sin,
ye became servants of righteousness” (Romans 6:17,18). One who is
ignorant of truth cannot obey it. One who believes error cannot obey
the truth. When Jesus said, “He that hath heard from the Father and
hath learned, cometh unto me” (John 6:45), He was talking about
hearing and learning the truth.
4. The importance of teaching the word should be recognized by every
child of God. The job of teaching the lost world is too big to be
left to a few “full time” workers. Every Christian should be awake
to the importance of teaching the truth.
The rapid growth of the early church was the result of “teaching.”
Those who were scattered from Jerusalem because of persecution went
everywhere “preaching the word” (Acts 8:4). This is what they had
been doing before they were scattered too! One of the greatest needs
of the church today is for brethren, all of us, to get busy teaching
God’s word to those who know it not. Weak members need to be taught
and grounded in the truth. Our children need to be taught. Our
friends and neighbors need to be taught. God has charged each
Christian with teaching because we need to do the teaching!
Teaching not only benefits the one being taught, but also the one
doing the teaching. When Paul said that God “is not served by men’s
hands, as though he needed anything” (Acts 17:25), he implied that
God is served by men’s hands because men need to be serving. We may
see the point clearly by thinking of an art teacher. Suppose that
she gives an assignment to a student and the student goes home and
gets his mother to do the drawing! The purpose of the assignment has
been thwarted. God did not intend for us to shift our responsibility
of teaching to someone else. Each of us needs to do his part. Let’s
arise and teach! ~
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Seek and Ye Shall Find
"Many false prophets have gone out into the world." 1 John 4:1,2.
One should not be blinded to the existence of error, but should seek
TRUTH. Jesus promised that "the truth will make you free." John
8:32.
Truth is the only antidote for error. This truth is accessible to
all men alike. Yet there are certain basic considerations which are
essential for the sincere truth seeker. Let us notice some of them.
1. The initial battle is with your own will.
If you really want the truth, you can find it. John 7:17. The desire
of the Holy Spirit is that you "be not unwise, but understanding
what the will of the Lord is." Eph. 5:17. But you must first make up
your mind that your desire is to know. Then you will be ready to
begin the search. A "good and honest heart" is first.
2. You must have a wholesome, respectful attitude toward the truth.
To search for it will be a waste of your time if you do not plan to
accept the truth -- whatever it may be. One must love and believe
the truth to avoid God's condemnation. (Be sure to read 2 Thess.
2:10-12).
3. Be sure that your source of information is reliable.
God's revealed Word is the only infallible source of religious
truth. The Bible writers were inspired of God. They could not err,
therefore, in what they spoke by the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
The Scriptures are God-breathed, perfect, and all-sufficient as a
guide for man in his search for forgiveness and the hope of eternal
life. 2 Tim. 3:16,17.
4. Recognize that it does not lie within your providence to change
that which the word of God teaches.
Be content with what you find in the Bible. It is possible for
parents to be wrong. Remember, too, that even men who are called
"preachers" and "rabbis" have no authority at all to bind upon you
any tradition or commandment of men. They are just men--and nothing
more. But, the Author of the Bible is GOD. The Holy Spirit simply
revealed to humanity what was in the mind of God. The Bible alone
makes known the will of God for you. Steer clear, then, of any
disposition to prevent this divine revelation. It is perfect; you
are not.
5. Do not allow anyone to hinder your obedience to the truth.
A soul (yours) is too valuable. The gospel of Christ is God's power
to save. Rom. 1:16,17. Your concern must be, "What does Christ teach
me to do to have remission of sins?" Read carefully these passages:
Mk. 16:15,16; Acts 2:38; Rom. 10:10; Acts 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4. The
simple requirements of Jesus are faith, repentance, confession and
immersion for the remission of sins.
Believe the truth, obey it to have your soul purified. 1 Pet. 1:22.
Let no one dissuade you from obeying the Author of eternal
salvation. Heb. 5:8,9. All who seek salvation in this way will find
it. THE TRUTH WILL MAKE YOU FREE.
By: Barney Keith
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