Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.Let not many of you be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgment.My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.Be not many of you teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive heavier judgment.
3 sermons cite this verse
… it lays hold of me. But it's a big responsibility to teach the Bible. The Bible says we should learn how to handle it correctly. And we're told in James 3.1, hey, brothers and sisters, if you want to become teachers, be careful because those who teach will be judged more strictly. I take what I do very seriously. I spend a lot of time preparing my messages. You probably are surprised by that, but I do. But I know that I'm giving you God's Word, and I want to give it to you accurately and rightly. And I am the last person you would have ever thought would end up doing what I'm doing, because I was the worst student of all time. I got bad grades. I caused disruptions in the classrooms all the time. I spent more time sitting outside of the principal's office. And I did in the classroom, it seems, getting in trouble for something I said or did. And so I was the worst student. And for me to become a teacher is almost laughable. But sometimes when God gives the gifts of the Spirit, He goes out of His way to surprise us. And this makes no sense at all. Why? Well, the Bible says God chooses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. Right? …
… we should know how to handle the word of God correctly. And then James 3.1 says, brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. Now people have asked me, what's it like to stand up there in that stage at the crusade? That must be a real ego trip for you, right? No, not at all actually. It's kind of scary. And it's kind of an awesome responsibility. Because I recognize I'm speaking for God. I know that there are certain people that will be there that may never come to an event like that again. They may never go to a church again. And so I don't want to misrepresent God. It's a lot of weight. And there's a lot of spiritual warfare involved in it as well. I'm not asking for your sympathy. I'm just telling you there's responsibility that comes with teaching. And I spend a lot of time in preparation before I speak. …
16. As this scripture is one of the strong-holds of the patrons of sin, it may be proper to weigh it thoroughly. Let it be observed then, First, it does by no means appear that this thorn, whatsoever it was, occasioned St. Paul to commit sin; much less laid him under any necessity of doing so. Therefore, from hence it can never be proved that any Christian must commit sin. Secondly, the ancient Fathers inform us, it was bodily pain: “a violent headache, saith Tertullian; (De Pudic.;) to which both Chrysostom and St. Jerome agree. St. Cyprian [De Mortalitate] expresses it, a little more generally, in those terms: “Many and grievous torments of the flesh and of the body.” [Carnis et corporis multa ac gravia tormenta.] Thirdly, to this exactly agree the Apostles own words, “A thorn to the flesh to smite, beat, or buffet me.” “My strength is made perfect in weakness:” — Which same word occurs no less than four times in these two verses only. But, Fourthly, whatsoever it was, it could not be either inward or outward sin. It could no more be inward stirrings, than outward expressions, of pride, anger, or lust. This is manifest, beyond all possible exception from the words that immediately follow: “Most gladly will I glory in” these “my weaknesses, that the strength of Christ may rest upon me.” [2 Cor. 12:9] What! Did he glory in pride, in anger, in lust? Was it through these weaknesses, that the strength of Christ rested upon him? He goes on: “Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses; for when I am weak, then am I strong;” [2 Cor. 12:10] that is, when I am weak in body, then am I strong in spirit. But will any man dare to say, “When I am weak by pride or lust, then am I strong in spirit?” I call you all to record this day, who find the strength of Christ resting upon you, can you glory in anger, or pride, or lust? Can you take pleasure in these infirmities? Do these weaknesses make you strong? Would you not leap into hell, were it possible, to escape them? even by yourselves, then, judge, whether the Apostle could glory and take pleasure in them! Let it be, Lastly, observed, that this thorn was given to St. Paul above fourteen years before he wrote this epistle; [2 Cor. 12:2] which itself was wrote several years before he finished his course. [see Acts 20:24; 2 Tim. 4:7] So that he had after this, a long course to run, many battles to fight, many victories to gain, and great increase to receive in all the gifts of God, and the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Therefore from any spiritual weakness (if such it had been) which he at that time felt, we could by no means infer that he was never made strong; that Paul the aged, the father in Christ, still laboured under the same weaknesses; that he was in no higher state till the day of his death. From all which it appears that this instance of St. Paul is quite foreign to the question, and does in no wise clash with the assertion of St. John, “He that is born of God sinneth not.” [1 John 5:18] …