What and How we teach God's Word

Transcription:

​John 4:24 KJV  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
 
When we assemble together for the purpose of worshipping God; our goal is to worship Him both in spirit and in truth.  To this end, the Churches of Christ have held to the principle to speak where the Bible speaks and keep silent when the Bible is silent.  Therefore, we can only safely do what we can find in the New Testament either a command, example, or necessary inference. In regards to the public teaching or preaching there are guidelines the Church must follow.
We believe true and correct teaching strengthens the Church.
1 Corinthians 14:3 KJV  But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
And false teaching can destroy the Church
2 Peter 2:1 KJV  But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
I would like to focus on two practices of many other religious organizations that are not authorized or straight-out condemned by the Bible.
 
Dividing the assembly or Sunday School:
In the examples of teaching done in the Bible; it was always in an undivided assembly.  In the Old Testament, men, women, and children were taught in one assembly:
 
Deuteronomy 31:11-13 KJV
(11)  When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing.
(12)  Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law:
(13)  And that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.
In the New Testament, we find the teaching was also done in an undivided assembly.
 
1 Corinthians 14:23 KJV  If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
Note the phrase “the whole church be come together into one place”
 
1 Corinthians 14:26 KJV  How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
Again the wording “ye come together”
 
1 Corinthians 14:31 KJV  For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.
Notice the phrase used “that all may learn”
 
Put together….. when we come together….. in one place…. That all may learn.
This is contrary to popular practice, but concrete in Biblical teaching and example.
To reject this is to deny the Bible.  There is not one example of Jesus, his apostles, teachers, or preachers in the New Testament dividing the assembly.

Women teachers
 
The Church does not use women to teach, not because they are less capable or in any way less important; it is simply following the instructions set forth in the Bible.
 
1 Corinthians 14:33-35 KJV
(33)  For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
(34)  Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.
(35)  And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
 
1 Timothy 2:11-14 KJV
(11)  Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
(12)  But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
(13)  For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
(14)  And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
 
No elaboration is needed:  Women are not to teach in the assembly.  There is an example of women teaching out the assembly.
 
Titus 2:3-5 KJV
(3)  The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
(4)  That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
(5)  To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
 
There is no contradiction here.  When men bring in their own ideas and pervert God’s ways it brings about confusion.  Speak where the Bible speaks and remain silent where the Bible is silent.
1 Corinthians 14:33 KJV  For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
 
The intention of the teaching in the worship assembly of the Church is to build up and edification of the hearers and done for the glory of God.