SOUNDING OUT:
Teachers Needed
Anointing symbolizes equipment for service. When you were born again and received the gift of holy spirit you were anointed.
1 John 2:27a:
But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you…
Some strange interpretations have been drawn from this verse. One such is that once we are born again we have no need for human teachers. Of course the context establishes just who it is that we need not let teach us. Verse 26 tells us that those we do not need to teach us are those that try to seduce us.
I John 2:27 cannot mean that we should allow no one to teach us. The first century church listened to teachers. There were many teachers, and they taught many.
Acts 5:42:
And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
Acts 13:1:
Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
Acts 15:35:
Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
Acts 18:11:
And he [Paul} continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
Acts 28:31:
Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.
The church epistles also echo the same truth. God wants His people to be taught the truth.
Romans 12:7:
Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
1 Corinthians 4:17:
For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.
Galatians 6:6:
Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
Colossians 1:28:
Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
God even gave gifts of teachers to the church to aide in its growth and vitality.
I Corinthians 12:28:
And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
Ephesians 4:11:
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
I John 2:27 confronts false teaching designed to seduce God’s people. The real issue at hand is not whether others should teach us, but rather whether we are obliged to listen to everyone who has something to say. The antichrists mentioned earlier in the chapter are pushy and demand to be heard, but we need not listen to those who would try to seduce us.
We can all benefit from any teaching ministry in the church. However, we are not required to be dependent upon any particular human teacher for our spiritual growth. Teachers who demand our allegiance or forbid us from listening to anyone but them are suspect. False teachers often lead people into unhealthy dependence upon themselves and their unique teaching, which is often “available nowhere else.”
We all have teachers whom we enjoy. We may even particularly like certain teachers who seem to hit the mark for us or communicate in such a way that we understand more easily. However, we should never become dependent upon them. We should feed ourselves God’s Word on a regular basis, then when we come together on special occasions to dine on His Word, it should be a most sumptuous feast.
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