How does one discern who is a true teacher of God and a false teacher? First, a true teacher will reveal the eternal purpose of God, which is this: He is “bringing many sons [and daughters] unto glory.” God is reproducing Himself in a chosen group called His elect. They will share God’s vision of our perfection, which is spiritual maturity. It all starts with the conquering of sin and sinning in their life.
Repentance and Faith
God’s teachers will teach “repentance from sin and faith toward God.” These are the first teachings of the “the apostles’ doctrine.” They will expound to the “little flock” all seven of Christ’s doctrines. [For a deeper dive into this subject, I have written a book entitled The Apostles’ Doctrine which explains in depth the seven doctrines of Christ. To receive your copy, send your name, mailing address, and name of the book to my email: wayneman5@hotmail.com It is free with free shipping.]
His teachers will explain how to receive a new heart with a new spirit from God. This new heart obeys God’s Ten Commandments. Breaking them is sin. Unlike most pastors and teachers, they will not try to keep you a sinner. They will not limit God and His power to change us fundamentally at our core. They will show us how to “follow our example” Christ, guiding them through the “cross experience.” They will explain how we die with the sin sacrifice Christ, how we are buried with Christ, and how we are raised to walk in a newness of life–with Christ’s Spirit now within (Rom. 6:1-12).
True teachers will start by telling you that you can be like Peter, James, John, and Paul. They were sinners, all too human, and they were changed by His Spirit. So much so, that many miracles were done by the Spirit through their hands. Nevertheless, there will be many doubters and gainsayers. So, I will ask them this: If you won’t let me be like Christ, is it okay if I be like His apostles? That’s a good enough walk. They healed the sick and even raised the dead. Through their hands the Spirit worked miracles.
Laying the Foundation
God’s teachers will first lay the spiritual foundation on which a Christian is built as a habitation of the Spirit. We are the spiritual temple of God, the place for the Holy Spirit to dwell and abide.
So, what is the foundation of the temple? Later, in Hebrews, the answer is outlined in plain English. “Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection [maturity], not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works [sin] and of faith toward God” (6:1). These are the first principles of Christ’s doctrine, and they make up the foundation.
Herein lies a real checklist of essential knowledge for the Christian. A God-sent teacher can explain what “repentance from dead works” means. The God-sent office of Teacher is the Holy Spirit speaking through a son or daughter of God. They will explain how the one and only faith is Christ’s faith. There is only one faith (Eph. 4:5). And we are living “by the faith of the Son of God…” (Gal. 2:20). By His faith.
The reason there are not more of God’s teachers is because people lack knowledge of God’s purpose and plan. “For when for the time you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk and not of strong meat” (Heb. 5:12). God wants us all to be His teachers. But how can we be His teachers when we do not have the foundational doctrines of Christ?
The teachings of Christ in Hebrews 6:1-2 are “the oracles of God.” Because most don’t know them, they need to be taught “the milk of the word” and not the “strong meat.” The milk, the beginning foundational teachings, helps one to get stronger and more able to digest the meat of the word. A user of the milk of the word is “unskillful in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But strong meat belongs to them of full age,” for they are able “to discern both good and evil” (5:13-14).
Teachers of God will not only lay the foundation for spiritual growth, but they will also teach us how to grow. For they understand that there are different growth levels in the body of Christ. Moreover, there are different offices of God in the body to help us reach spiritual maturity. The five offices of God are apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher.
These words about His teachers are not meant to doubt the sincerity of any teacher. It is a matter of receiving the hidden wisdom and knowledge from above and then sharing it with those whom He has called. Teaching is all about The Spirit of truth communicating through a vessel, as opposed to a person speaking things about Christ. Big difference. No matter where we stand with God, we must put on humility and learn from Christ. He is the Master and Teacher. He channels His Spirit of truth through humans that He has called into His service.
May our King Yahshua use you as a teacher and prophet. Kenneth Wayne Hancock
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Immortality Road 