Teachers of Righteousness

The teaching profession is the oldest and the largest of all vocations. Without teachers it would be

impossible for one generation to pass down to the following generation their knowledge, as one

generation builds upon the knowledge and experience of another.

While only some people become professional teachers, we can also say that every one of us should learn

how to teach. In a very real sense, everybody teaches during their lifetime. We are told in Deuteronomy

6:7 that one of the duties of parents is to teach the word of God to their children, so obviously every

parent is intended to be a teacher. Everyone teaches during their lifetime, whether it be a Sunday school

class, in their own family, or among their friends or peers. Therefore everyone should learn how to

teach.

The Need for Teachers of Righteousness

We teach to pass along our knowledge, yet education by itself is not the answer. It helps a person, but it

is no guarantee that they will bring forth good fruit. Education is knowledge, it is the gaining of facts;

yet it is what you do with those facts that can develop wisdom which will put you on the right path for

life.

I have just been reading about a person who has an IQ of 190, which is much higher than the IQ that

Einstein had. Yet because of mistakes in his life and not walking on the right path, he works on a farm

and cuts hay.

In a study done in California, schools were asked to identify their brightest young students, who were

then given special treatment. But as they grew up and were still very gifted, many of them did not

become successful in life. The reason was that they had not developed wisdom and were not put on the

right pathway of life. That is something that a teacher of righteousness must do. They must help their

students to go on the right path so that they might become “trees of righteousness, the planting of the

Lord,” as Isaiah 61:3 declares. Then they will develop their lives correctly.

The phrase “teachers of righteousness” can be taken from Daniel 12:3, which reads, “Those who are

wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the

stars forever and ever.” The part that says “Those who are wise” can also be translated as “Those who

are teachers.” Those who are teachers and turn many to righteousness can be called teachers of

righteousness.

In these Last Days the Lord will raise up teachers of righteousness who will help guide the Church into

maturity and perfection. Ephesians 4:11-13 declares, “And He Himself gave some to be... teachers... for

the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come... to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the

fullness of Christ.” The end purpose of all Bible teaching is to present a people who have been perfected

by the workings of God. As Ephesians 5:26-27 tells us, “that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the

washing of the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle

or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”

Their Preparations

Study is, of course, the first step in a teacher’s preparation. The Apostle Paul, when writing to his

beloved son in the faith, told him: “Study to show yourself approved to God, a workman who does not

need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth,” 2 Tim.2:15. John Cotton Dana said, “Who

dares to teach must never cease to learn.”

We have a key to becoming a teacher of righteousness in Matthew 13:52 where Jesus said, “Therefore

every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings forth out of

his treasure things new and old.” A scribe, speaking of a teacher of God’s word, must bring forth the

old, foundational truths, while also constantly be seeking the Lord for fresh, greater truths. There is so

much more of God to be known. We can never exhaust the knowledge of God in our few short years

upon the earth.

That a teacher must seek out truth is further explained in Proverbs 25:2, “It is the glory of God to

conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.” This is referred to as the hidden

manna of God’s Word that is reserved for the overcomer, Rev.2:17. As we learn to search out truth we

are becoming kings and will qualify to reign in Christ’s coming millennial kingdom.

Daniel 12:4 says, “...even to the time of the end, many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall

increase.” We have seen a vast increase of knowledge in the natural world. Scientists and medical

researchers are constantly having breakthroughs as mankind’s circle of knowledge gets bigger and

bigger. That is the way it should also be in the revelation of God’s Word. Our circle of knowledge of His

Word, including the end-time events, should be getting larger and larger.

As we seek to study God’s Word, our next question will be, who do we study under? It is very important

under which mantle you are taught. Whether you are studying in a church Bible class, in a school, or

reading a book, different impartations can be given you which will affect the direction of your life and

future teachings.

Once when I was young I had considered studying at the divinity schools of Oxford or Cambridge. I was

contemplating this one night when an angel appeared to me, with a path behind him which began with

golden light. I saw that the path went through the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and when I

looked at the buildings of these universities, I saw many demons there. I understood that if I went on

that path and studied in these universities I would be taught by demons. Then I saw that path, which had

started in shining light, change and disappear into darkness. By this vision I understood that God was

telling me that I was not to go through these schools or the end of my path would be darkness.

Once Harvard University declared, “We have born-again professors in every department except the

Divinity School (the religious department).” It is extremely important that we study at the correct

schools and under teachers of righteousness. We have someone in one of our churches who has a

doctorate in theology, yet his pastor will not allow him to even teach in the Sunday school because he

does not understand the gospel.

As a teacher you must be on the right path yourself, or you can turn your students off of their proper

path even without saying anything, because of the impact that your life can have on them. There was a

certain evangelical Bible school in the USA, and every year they would graduate one or two atheists. So

the school leaders carefully examined what the faculty were teaching. They found that they were not

teaching any atheistic doctrines, but that they had faculty that were atheists in their heart, and they

reproduced what they were in the students. It is not sufficient that you teach the truth, but that you are

the truth. You reproduce who you are. You can say to someone, “Don’t do that,” but if that wrong desire

is in your own heart, your words will have no effect. To become a teacher of righteousness we must first

become righteous.

The Goal of a Teacher of Righteousness

The goal of a teacher of righteousness is to help bring his pupils to perfection and spiritual maturity,

Eph.4:11-13. Surely this should be recognized by all. Think of a farmer- he sows his seed and then

carefully nurtures the young plants until they grow to maturity and bring forth fruit that are mature and

perfect. Our Heavenly Gardener desires to do the same in bringing many sons to glory, Heb.2:10.

How to Accomplish Your Goal

To help accomplish this goal, you must first identify with your students and bond with them. When I

went to Egypt the first time, I said to the Lord, “What am I going to say to these people? How can I

identify with them?” Then the Lord gave me a scripture in Isaiah 19:25 that says, “Blessed is Egypt, My

people.” After I started with that, I had everyone happy and identifying with me.

Then as you teach the Scriptures, you must find the level of the people that you are teaching. Seek to lift

them all one step higher up the ladder of Christian development than they have been. Something will be

accomplished!

This can be illustrated by the technique of an American ophthalmologist I met while in Indonesia. He

explained that his technique was to watch eye operations that the local doctors performed, and then he

would ask for patients who required a slightly higher level of surgery. Afterwards, he would gather the

doctors around him as he performed several of these operations and then watch while they in turn

performed similar operations which were one grade above those that they had previously been capable

of performing.

Our doctor friend said that when he had left the hospital, all those surgeons had climbed one step higher

in their surgical expertise. On the other hand, other international surgeons would come in with

equipment that was still unavailable to the Indonesians and with it would perform outstanding

operations, those at the very top of the ladder. When they left, however, the resident Indonesian

surgeons were still standing on the same step where they had stood before the teams had come.

When teaching God’s Word, we want to make sure we are always leading people to a higher level, a

higher step in their Christian walk. The teacher is not there to show his abilities, but to impart his

abilities.

As the goal of a teacher of righteousness is to teach the way to perfection, let us examine some aspects

of perfection taught us in the Bible.

Biblical Aspects of Perfection

1. Perfection as the completing of our God-appointed task. The all-consuming desire of the Apostle

Paul was to hit the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. He expressed this when he wrote,

“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfect: but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for

which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, do not I count myself to have apprehended; but

one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are

ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus,” Phil. 3:12-14.

The meaning of “perfect” here is to fulfill God’s goal for your life. We must realize that God has a very

specific plan for each of our lives. The Lord has a blueprint for our lives, and when we die we are held

accountable as to whether or not we finished our course.

The Lord made this so clear to me many years ago when I asked Him to end my life and take me to

heaven because of the terrible opposition I was facing at that time as a young pastor. The Lord granted

my request, and I physically died. When I got to heaven, the Lord showed me the whole of my life from

my birth until the time I died. Yet I saw that there was much more God had purposed for my life, but I

had not finished it. Yes, I was a Christian, I was a righteous pastor and I made it to heaven, but I had not

completed God’s plans for my life!

I hope none of you ever experiences the terrible agony I felt in my spirit. I knew I had died before my

appointed time. After I pleaded with the Lord to send me back to earth and give me another chance to

finish my course, He graciously revived me and my spirit came back into my body. Since that time, the

burden upon my heart is that every believer finishes his course, as Christ did. As the Lord was preparing

to go to the cross, He said to His Father in John 17:4, “I have glorified You on the earth, I have finished

the work which You have given me to do.” We also want to be able to say with Paul at the end of our

lives: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” 2 Tim.4:6-7. We

want to be runners that win the race and gain the prize.

God has ordained specific purposes for each of us from before the foundation of the world, and we are to

seek to attain those goals. Thus, the teacher is to encourage each student to press toward the particular

goal that God has ordained for his life. This includes seeking God for the particular giftings that He

wishes us to receive and develop.

2. Perfection as showing goodness and love to all. Christ said in Matthew 5:48, “Therefore you shall

be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” This almost seems like an impossible

commandment. Yet, when we study the Word of God, we find that love and Christian perfection are

equivalent, for Paul tells us that “love is the bond of perfection,” Col. 3:14. Christian perfection is to

show forth agape love to all, as we can further see in the context of when Christ taught that we are to be

perfect, “That you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on

the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust,” Mt.5:45. Thus we see the goodness and love of

God manifested as He even feeds and cares for the wicked.

3. Perfection as seen in the control of our tongue. Let us consider the words in James 3:2, “If anyone

does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.” James is making the

point that a perfect man or woman is able to control their tongue and not sin with their words. Our words

flow out of our mouth at times without consideration of the damage that they might do to others.

Because the tongue is the most difficult member of our body to control and bring into subjection, if a

person is able to control his tongue, he is able to control every other aspect of his life. What we speak is

a gauge of our spiritual maturity and perfection. Our speech reveals how much of the nature of Christ we

have.

4. Perfection of Heart. Concerning King Asa we read in 1 Kings 15:14, “Asa’s heart was perfect with

the Lord all of his days.” The word “perfect” and other similar phrases are repeatedly used to describe

the lives of the kings of Judah, 1 Ki.11:4, 15:3 & 14, 2 Ki.20:3. It is almost a report card upon their

reigns and could be an example of what will appear in the heavenly books in which our deeds on earth

are recorded, Rev.20:12. The word “perfect” does not imply that we are infallible, but that we walk in all

the ways of God. We may define a perfect heart as the heart of one who has a willing mind and desire to

please the Lord in all aspects of life.

We read concerning King Solomon in 1 Kings 11:4, “For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that

his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God,

as was the heart of David his father.” May we continually warn our students that our report cards might

not just depict a good beginning, as did Solomon’s, but that we might also have a good finish without

blot or blemish. After all, how we finish the race of life is the most important comment that will be made

about our life here upon earth.

5. Perfection as Maturity. In Hebrews 6:1 we read, “Therefore leaving the elementary teachings of the

doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection.” Perfection in its fullest meaning is maturity.

We are called to become mature like Christ. However, maturity is relative to one’s age. A man matures

during his lifetime in several different stages—as a baby, as a boy, as a young man, and finally as an

adult. In much the same way, in our Christian development we must grow and progress from a spiritual

babe in Christ (a new believer) to a mature saint and spiritual father in the Lord, 1 Jn.2:12-14.

In the Philippines I saw a woman whose boy was 9 years old, yet he was still a baby, unable to feed

himself or do any of the basic things. When the boy was born, it was the mother’s delight to feed and

dress him. But that joy turned to sorrow. God looks at His Church in the same way, He wants us to

grow.

Our attitude of heart must be a quest to move past the foundational principles and go on to perfection.

Therefore, we constantly need to cry out to God for His grace and mercy so that we pass our tests by His

enabling grace and go on. The call is to perfection, or Christian maturity.

The Rewards of a Good Teacher

Good teachers of righteousness will impart their teachings and life to make an impact upon many of

their students. Through our expositions of the Scriptures we can mold many young lives in the ways of

God.

You don’t know who your students may go on to become. Once I went to Malaysia to speak at a large

church. I had no idea who the pastor was, but when we met, he said that he was a student of mine some

years before when my wife and I had taught in Singapore. The pastor said, “You do not know me,

because I sat at the back of the class and said nothing,” but years later he was the pastor of a church of

5,000 members. Then we had another student who I had taught in Switzerland, who has gone on to start

150 churches in Africa. And again, one of the students I taught in the USA went on to build a church of

6,000. When you are teaching, you don’t know what your students will go on to become.

Teachers have mighty influence when they boldly proclaim the truth. Their pupils remember their words

long after the teacher has gone to his eternal reward. Their words live on in their hearers’ lives and

sometimes produce fruit for many generations to come. If we are faithful to study, pray, and live our

teachings, God will ensure that, like Jesus, we shall see our seed and be satisfied, Isa. 53:10-11.

Teachers of righteousness will have honor not only here upon earth, but also in heaven above. How we

teach on earth is going to determine our heavenly position. Let us consider the words of our Lord on this

matter. In Matthew 5:19 He states, “Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments,

and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them,

he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” It is clear that the rewards are given to the ones who

faithfully practice the commandments of God and teach others to do so. These shall be termed “great in

the kingdom of heaven.”

What a high and holy calling it is to be a teacher of righteousness. It demands our complete dedication.

This calling requires time spent in the presence of the Lord Jesus, the Teacher of teachers, to sharpen our

skills and grow in the knowledge of Him Who is the Word made flesh. His mantle must cover us so that,

with humility and honesty, we can manifest His image.

These are the days when sin will abound and the love of many shall grow cold. Yet the Spirit of God

will be poured out in revival power and multitudes will come to the Lord. Teachers of righteousness will

be raised up by God to nourish the newborns and bring the mature to perfection and glory. May we also

be inspired to become included among these teachers of righteousness, by His grace.