Wanting to be a teacher is not good enough

Scripture Read: 1 Timothy 1:6-7 For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, ⁷ wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.  

Application: Here’s the real difference of what “Biblical anointing” actually means. Today many preachers claim they have “the anointing” because of the WAY they present what they teach. A lot of bells, lights and showmanship. But Father, You do not call that anointing – You call that noise! The issue has never been in the form of what is said, it has always been in the substance of what is said. Notice – first and foremost – these teachers have “swerved” from the truth. They have left the path of what Truth is. Paul states they have “turned aside”, this is a medical term that was used to describe limbs that were dislocated - ektrepō (ἐκτρεπω) The outcome is “fruitlessness”, meaning noise but no substance:

Fruitless - ματαιολογία mataiología; a vain talker. Vain talk, empty conversation or babbling, Empty prattle,^[1]

Reference is made here to quite a doctrinal wrench from the true position. This was no slight misinterpretation of the Word, but a serious change of position doctrinally. The words, “vain jangling,” are mataiologian (ματαιολογιαν), made up of mataios (ματαιος), “that which is devoid of force, truth, success, result, that which is useless, to no purpose,” and logos (λογος) “a word.” Thus, the compound word means “useless talk.” Their talk was vain in the sense of being in vain, futile.^[2]

The most interesting and revealing point of this passage is found in the phrases “wanting to be” & “even though” This is where we see the lack of anointing. It is good to “want to be” a teacher, however there must also be a call from You Father to be one. This is no mystical call, it is clear in scripture anyone that desires to be a teacher must be equipped to be one. These teachers expose they are not “teachers because their desire is what vindicates them, not their understanding of the Truth. That’s why Paul states “even though”! Even though they do not know the Truth, understand the Truth and seem to be unwilling to study the Truth to know it, they still insist they are teachers. It’s like someone wanting to be a doctor, but unwilling to become equipped in a way that validates their call to that position, still performing surgery! Not on me you won’t! So it is when teaching the Truth of God. Desire is essential and should be there, but being a good steward to learn the Truth, study it, engraft it, which in turn establishes His call on you, that is what the Word describes as a teacher! Father give us the hunger to know Your Truth so we can teach others!

Meditation Questions: What do you think when you hear a teacher “bashing” formal training? Do you believe the Holy Spirit can use formal training to equip teachers? Can a person be a teacher with no formal training?  Does it have to be “either/or”? If you desire to be a teacher of God’s Word what are the standards you have? Do you believe there can be a balance? What is that?

---

^[1] Zodhiates, S. (2000). The complete word study dictionary : New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers.

^[2] Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest's word studies from the Greek New Testament : For the English reader (1 Ti 1:5). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.