Let's Go Back to the Bible

Teachers, we must be careful!

God calls upon every Christian to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them…teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20). Each Christian bears that responsibility equally. But with responsibility comes accountability!

The Lord warned in James 3:1, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness” (ESV). Those who teach are responsible (and accountable) for what they say, for their teachings will have an impact on the soul and salvation of those who hear them. As there is a “stricter judgment” (NKJV) for those who teach, there is perhaps an even stricter judgment for those who teach children. Note the words of Jesus and think of their application to those who teach children, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matt. 18:6, NASB).

This is not to “scare anyone off” from teaching, but to wake us up to the eternal consequences that our words (especially words of instruction) can and will have on others. That’s why the Lord implores, “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God” (1 Pet. 4:11).