Rightly Handle and Teach the Word of Truth - 2 Tim. 2:15
In an age where entertainment, encouragement and enthusiasm are most popular approaches to preaching, let us remember our scriptural obligation to teach the word. Good teachers need to adhere to certain guidelines that should characterize their teaching of the truth. To fail to do might inhibit our ability to fully trust and obey the Lord with all our heart, soul, strength and mind.
Paul wrote, “Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial) a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing (rightly handling and skillfully teaching) the Word of Truth.” (2 Tim. 2:15)
Jesus said, "You will know (ginosko - experientially know and obey it)the truth and the truth with make you free." (John 8:31,32) Too many teachers think they should teach for oida (pure knowledge or acquisition of facts). Allow the Lord to help you to teach with a breadth, length, height and depth of experiencing the Lord and His wonderful truths and attributes.
Jeremiah said, "Let not a wise man boast in His wisdom, let not a mighty man boast in His might. But let him who boast, boast of this that he understands and knows me." (Jer 9:23,24)
The following are several guidelines we need to remember enabling us to be an effective teacher of God’s word of truth:
1. INVESTIGATION – Good students of the word of God learn to make thorough examinations of the truth. People who do their research learn how to conduct systematic inquiries of the meaning of the context of each passage so as to bring out the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Teacher who fail to do proper study fall short in their understanding of the full interpretation of the ideas of scripture. To overlook key aspects of the Bible’s message often results in superficial observations that can lead to faulty assumptions about the essential teachings of the passage.
Application: Learn to spend time asking the Holy Spirit to guide you in to ALL truth so you can discern the full meaning of each verse.
2. EXPLANATION - Good teachers have the ability to fully make clear and intelligible the meaning of scripture. Paul warned Timothy not to argue over the miniscule words, but to focus on staying faithful to explain, remind and amplify what are the priority principles of scripture. Teachers who are good at giving explanations have the ability to make the complex seem simple to understand.
Application: Ask the Spirit of God to help you teach in a way that is clear, concise and complete.
3. CONTEXTUALIZATION – Good teachers of the word have the ability to show how the context of scripture relates to the context of their students. Contextualization is done best when the teaching is given in a way that is relevant, appropriate and suitable to the learning styles of the listeners. People who fail to do good contextualization are often seen as irrelevant and lacking the ability to make the message of scripture seem applicable to their audience.
Application: Ask the Lord to give you the ability to relate the key facts of scripture to your hearers in a way that they can become better workmen who handle accurately the word of truth.
4. CLARIFICATION – Good teachers learn how to present the truths of the scripture using understandable language, illustrations and presentations. If the teacher is unclear about the meaning of verse they will most likely present the truth in a foggy fashion that leaves the students puzzled about the true sense of scripture. Teachers who seek to bring clarity to a passage make the verse easier to understand.
Application: Ask the Holy Spirit to help you teach in a way that does not leave any equivocations in the minds of your students.
5. INTERPRETATION – Good teachers present scripture with a good explanation of the meanings of its context, its words and its major themes. There is one correct interpretation to every verse of scripture but many applications. Teachers help their students see how applications grow out of correct interpretations and not visa versa.
Application: Ask the Holy Spirit of God to help you interpret correctly the meaning of each passage as we are reliant on Him for revelation, inspiration and illumination of supernatural truth.
6. ADAPTATION – Good teachers consistently learn how to more fully adapt their mind, emotions and will to be in greater obedience to God. Teachers realize that pupils will learn more by their example then simply from the words that come out of their mouths. Jesus said it best, “Every pupil when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.” (Luke 6:40) Be an example to the believers in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity. (I Tim 4:12) Remember, our communication is compromised of 7% of the words we say but 35% with the tone of our voice and 58% with our lifestyle, character and non-verbal cues.
Application: Ask the Lord to help you trust and obey the word in all aspects of your life so that your teaching takes on greater credibility, authenticity and actuality.
7. ILLUSTRATION – Good teachers research carefully to find the best illustrations that will bring clear examples for their teaching. We all need pictures to help provide windows of light to help us more fully understand the whole truth of scripture. Just like the Ethiopian Eunuch could not know what he was reading in Isaiah until Phillip explained the scripture through real life illustrations, so our students hunger for real life examples that make scripture appear more down to earth.
Application: Ask the Lord to help you find better sources of illustrations to give your students ways of understanding, remembering and relating the truth of the Bible to their lives.
8. REALIZATION – Good teachers do not simply teach ideas but help people realize how their lives are not measuring up to the ideals of the Bible. Until individuals realize that they have fallen short of the truth of the scripture they will not sense conviction. Teachers help point out to their students the gap that often exists between the ideals of scripture and realities of their audiences lives.
Application: Ask the Lord to help you teach so as to help people realize where they have fallen short of the glory of God in scripture. Only then are people willing to make the necessary changes in their lives to wholeheartedly obey the scripture.
9. CORRELATION – Good teachers know how to compare and contrast each verse with other passages of scripture. Cross-references are often helpful in shedding greater light to the scripture. Scripture is its best own interpreter. Correlations show the mutual relation that all sixty-six books of the Bible have with one another. The supernatural unity of scripture gives greater insight to the student of the word as they see the many facets of the diamond of God’s holy book.
Application: Ask the Lord to help you provide corresponding vantage points from other passages in the scripture to enhance your teaching effectiveness.
10. APPLICATION – Good teachers learn how to make meaningful applications to the scripture so that they are truly workmen who do not need to be ashamed. Howard Hendricks once said, “Interpretation of the Bible without application is an equivalent to spiritual abortion.” James wrote, “Be doers of the word and not merely hearers who deceive yourselves.” (James 1:22) By putting the Bible into use you can gain greater clarity about the full meaning of scripture. The more we obey the more God reveals about His truth.
Application: Ask the Lord to lead you in ways that your applications of scripture will bring greater incentive to your students to apply the scripture to their lives as well. Give people invitation to apply the teaching to their lives on a regular basis to enhance your students’ motivations to apply the truth to all parts of their personal lives, relationships and activities.
11. COMMUNICATION – Good teachers learn how to become excellent communicators. You can tell if someone is communicating if they are successfully imparting information in a way that connects with their audience. Good communicators learn to convey messages in ways that are most appealing, relevant and interesting to their listeners. It is not enough to merely put out information if one really wants to communicate truth. You cannot communicate what you do not possess.
Allow the Spirit of God to help you overflow with the fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. There is no law against these fruits of the Spirit. These fruits communicate a Christlikeness in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Col. 2:3)
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly with all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melodly in your hearts to the Lord and whatever you do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God and the Father by Him. (Col. 3:16,17)
Application: Ask the Lord to help you discover the key felt needs, perceived needs, cultural needs and spiritual needs of your listeners so you can open the door of their mind, will and emotions to the whole counsel of God. The Holy Spirit promises to help us in our communication by convicting the word of sin, righteousness and judgment, if we will pray and ask Him to work on each occasion.
Illustration: Give Your Delimma To The Lord
Dr. Charles Stanley, a prominent minister of a large church in Atlanta, tells the story of a time when their church needed two million dollars to relocate to a larger facility. The only problem was they didn’t have the money. One day, the board members told Dr. Stanley to get a loan from the bank because the deal sounded good. However, Dr. Stanley told the group that
they needed divine direction, so they all packed their gear and took off for a state park for the weekend for a time of prayer. All weekend they prayed earnestly that God would give them direction and help them resolve the problem that they were facing.
When they finally left the park, they still didn’t have any clear direction about how to purchase the building. But they were committed to waiting on
God. A few days later, Dr. Stanley had a message to call a man He had never met. He lived in another state. The man said that he wanted to help Dr.
Stanley’s ministry.
Immediately, Dr. Stanley called him back, and the stranger said, “I have had you and your ministry on my mind the past several days. I notice that you
never ask for money on the broadcast, and I was wondering if you have any needs.”
Dr. Stanley explained the situation about the building and how they needed two million dollars to purchase it. The stranger said, “I think I can handle
that.” And he gave that church two million dollars. That church had a problem; they gave their problem to Jesus; and their problem was solved.
Keith Smith, “Anything Is Possible With Jesus”
Here are some of the attributes and/or descriptions of God that begin with P:
Pain Reliever
Pain Allower
Pal
Parable Teacher & Explainer
Parent
Parent to the fatherless
Pass Through Enabler
Passage Giver
Passion
Passover Lamb
Pastor
Pastor
Pastor to the Shepherds
Pasture Giver
Pasture Provider
Pathway Unveiler
Pathway Giver
Patience Giver
Patient
Pattern Giver
Paul the apostle callers
Paul the apostle creator, maker and shaper
Paul’s Inspirer & Enabler
Paul’s Intelligence Giver
Paul’s Initiator & Invigorator
Pays Attention
Pays Great Dividends
Peace
Peace that overcomes the world
Peace that blesses his people Peacemaker
Pedal Pusher
Penalizer
Pentecostal Power Giver
People Conscious One
People Giver
People Enabler
People Connector
People Group Targeter
Perceiver
Perception Giver
Perfect
Perfect Gift Giver
Perfecter or our faith
Performer of great wonders
Permanent One and Enlightener
Permission Giver
Persecution allower
Perseverer
Perseverance Example
Person Director
Personal Care Giver
Personal Companion
Personal
Personality Giver
Perspective
Persuader
Pestilence Allower
Peter Challenger
Pharisee Rebuker
Philosophy Master
Picker
Pillar
Pilot
Pioneer
Pity for the Weak
Placer
Place Determiner
Placer of Authorities
Placer in heaven giver
Plain Truth
Plank Observer
Planner With Hope
Planner for future and a hope
Planner Almighty
Planter
Planter oaks of righteousness
Plea Hearer
Pleasant
Pleased One
Pleasure Giver
Pleasure Eternally
Pleasure Source
Pledger
Plenteous in Mercy
Plentiful
Plus Maker
Pointer of pathways
Pointer to Jesus author & perfecter
Polisher
Ponder
Poor Maker
Portion
Position Giver
Positive Answer
Positive Answer for Negative Problems
Program Setter
Possessor
Possessor of the Yielded
Possession Owner
Possibility Maker
Potent One
Potentate
Potter
Potter
Pours Out the Holy Spirit
Poverty Giver
Power
Powerful Deliverer
Power of Your Resurrection
Power Purveyor
Power Strategist
Power Giver
Power Gospel Giver
Powerful
Power line
Practical
Practicer of What is Best
Practitioner of Good, Justice,Truth
Praise-Director
Praiseworthy
Praise-Worthy
Prayer Advocate
Prayer Director
Prayer Intercessor
Preacher
Precept Giver
Precious
Precise
Precludes Disobedience with Worship
Predestinater
Predictor
Pre-eminent
Premier
Premium
Preoccupation
Preparer a feast for all peoples
Preparer For Battle
Preponderate
Prescient
Prescriber
Prescription Giver
Presence
Present
Presents us faultless
Presenter reproving, rebuking, exhorting with great patience and instruction
Present Help and Stay
Preserver
Preserves
Pressure
Prestige Determiner
Prevailer of Eternal Purpose
Prevailer bears all things, believes all things, hope all things, and endures all things
Preventer of Mistakes
Priceless
Picker of the Battles to Fight
Pride Hater
Priest
Priest
Primary above all others
Prime One
Prince of Peace
Principle-Giver
Principle Setter
Printer of the Lamb Book of Life
Priority-Planner
Priority-Setter
Prison Releaser
Prison Epistle Orchestrater
Privilege Giver
Privilege Giver Eternally
Prize Giver Pro-Active
Prober
Problem-Solver
Procedure Giver
Proceeder amidst all opposition
Processor all things together for good
Proclaimer
Proceeder in to the battle
Procurator
Procurer
Prodigious
Producer
Producer and Grower
Produces Endurance
Produces Fruit
Professional
Proficiency Giver
Profit Giver
Profitable
Profound
Profuse in mercy, love and truth
Prognosticator
Program Giver
Progresser
Prohibiter
Projector truth, love and hope
Prolific who produces many offspring and mighty works
Prolonger of our days
Promiser
Promoter
Promotes Good
Promotes our Needs
Promotes
Prompter
Proof of Love
Propagator
Propeller forward and upward
Proper
Proper Timer
Property Owner
Proper Timer
Property Owner
Prophecy Giver
Prophet
Propitiates
Propitiator
Proponent
Proportion Determiner
Prospect Giver future and a hope
Prospects
Prospector
Prosperer
Prosperity Giver
Prosperity Rewarder
Protector
Protects
Protects on our journeys
Prover
Proverb Giver of wisdom
Providence
Provident One
Provider
Provides
Provision Giver
Proving Your Faith
Proving Your Point
Provoker to love and good deeds
Prowess Giver
Prudent
Pruner
Psalms Giver
Publicly Displays
Publisher
Pulls out of the pit and destruction
Punisher
Punisher
Punisher of All that is wrong and evil
Purchaser
Purger
Purification from sin
Purifier With Fire
Purifier With Your Word
Purifier
Purifier and Sets Apart
Purpose Giver
Purposed One
Purpose-Giver
Pursuer
Pushes
Put Down the Proud
Put Off What is Evil
Put Thoughts of Goodness in Our Minds
