Saturday night I returned from Togo. For the past couple of days, I have been emerging from jet lag. The trip was really good. In two trips the Word has had an impact on five countries.
Towards the end of the time at the Bible School in Lomé, once again the depth and power of God’s Word were demonstrated. Know that during these seminars it is not my intent to push or advocate any particular theological position. Rather, the objective is to give the participants tools with which to increase the quality and quantity of their observations. The second objective is to refocus them on the text of the Bible as their primary source of data rather than on secondary sources.
So as we neared the end of our time, I asked what the most important lesson they would take away from our time together. One pastor said that he was convicted to share, teach, and proclaim the Word from his own study of the text rather than using the work of others as the basis of his messages. Another pastor stood before the group and said that he now knew that he had been a false teacher. Up to this point, he had believed that false teachers referred to those who were members of cults. He now realized that one who misrepresents the Word of God, one who may take a passage out of context, or one who reads a text and then uses that text as a springboard to say whatever one wants is a false teacher.
That came from studying the text of 2 Peter (here @ Bible Gateway) not from a direct challenge.
That response is a demonstration of at least two passages of Scripture. First, Hebrews 4:12 (here @ Bible Gateway) and second, John 16:13 (here @ Bible Gateway). The Word penetrates and the Spirit leads into truth.
When we give people simple tools with which they can begin to personally probe the depth of Scripture. Then if we will direct them to the text and get out of the way, the Holy Spirit, who inspired the text (2 Timothy 3:16 – 17 (here @ Bible Gateway); 2 Peter 1:18 – 21 (here @ Bible Gateway), will lead them into truth.
It is a powerful and joyous thing to witness.
So as we neared the end of our time, I asked what the most important lesson they would take away from our time together. One pastor said that he was convicted to share, teach, and proclaim the Word from his own study of the text rather than using the work of others as the basis of his messages. Another pastor stood before the group and said that he now knew that he had been a false teacher. Up to this point, he had believed that false teachers referred to those who were members of cults. He now realized that one who misrepresents the Word of God, one who may take a passage out of context, or one who reads a text and then uses that text as a springboard to say whatever one wants is a false teacher.
That came from studying the text of 2 Peter (here @ Bible Gateway) not from a direct challenge.
That response is a demonstration of at least two passages of Scripture. First, Hebrews 4:12 (here @ Bible Gateway) and second, John 16:13 (here @ Bible Gateway). The Word penetrates and the Spirit leads into truth.
When we give people simple tools with which they can begin to personally probe the depth of Scripture. Then if we will direct them to the text and get out of the way, the Holy Spirit, who inspired the text (2 Timothy 3:16 – 17 (here @ Bible Gateway); 2 Peter 1:18 – 21 (here @ Bible Gateway), will lead them into truth.
It is a powerful and joyous thing to witness.
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