I was greatly chastised by an audio excerpt from the Bible that says, “Not all of you should be teachers…some of you preach with great conviction without knowing anything and teach great error (paraphrase from 1Corinthians)…”
I realize now that I am greatly warned. Either be right or stay silent and learn, then teach. How do we become qualified to teach?
“A teacher of the law therefore brings out of his storehouse new treasures and old…” (Matthews) If we are not talking about heavenly treasure, then what are we talking about? Indeed it is heavenly treasure, for “where our hearts are so our treasures shall be.” (Matthews)
What else would Jesus be talking about except the beginning of wisdom, that is, the fear of the Lord God? And where does our treasuring up start if not in our thought-life? And where is it most potently expressed outwardly if not in our speech? Even action, though good as an indicator since it is the fruit of our faith, does not have the same condemnation as how we wag our tongues. “The tongue is a restless evil, setting fire and is itself set aflame by the fire of Hell,” (James).
For the longest time, about a span of 8 long years, my treasure was in my computer and the things it could do. Recently I’ve had problems with it. Not until I finally accepted that it was also fallible and unreliable, did I turn to Jesus and repent of my idolatry. Then He opened my eyes. “You want to be a teacher of the Word but your treasure is in your machine. First remove that log out of your own eye, then go and take the speck out of your brethren’s eyes,” He seemed to say. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Is my treasure in Heaven? How could it be? I still cussed on occasion and cursed my enemies. I still was angry, bitter, enraged as i had been for 22 years now. Just because i have a dram of insight, I call my website(s) a ministry for the Lord?! May it never be. May God be true and everyone a liar, myself foremost.
O the depth and mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven! How unfathomable are its riches for really it is just where God is, where Jesus is, that there is Heaven! So the love of God, and the sword of His Word, that does violence to our souls as it testifies against our sinful nature—may He prevail! I praise Him for my problems because it causes me to go back to that fundamental point which is to accrue in the godly treasures of the Kingdom of Heaven. May He come and fulfill His Word. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
