Faithful Men Who Will Be Able to Teach Others Also

 

This is precisely what “preaching the gospel” is. Of course, this may sound obvious, but preaching the gospel does not merely mean bringing people to church. Rather, it means delivering and making known the gospel of Jesus to others. This is the charge that Jesus has entrusted to us, and for this purpose He has committed to us the work of an evangelist.

 

1 Thessalonians 2:3-4 “3 For our exhortation is not of error¹, nor of uncleanness², nor in guile³: 4 but even as we have been approved of God to be intrusted with the gospel, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God who proveth our hearts.”

[¹Error: deception or falsehood. ²Uncleanness: impurity or defilement. ³Guile: crafty deceit used to mislead others.]

 

1 Timothy 1:11-12 “11 according to the gospel of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. 12 I thank him that enabled me, even Christ Jesus our Lord, for that he counted me faithful, appointing me to his service.”

 

Therefore, the apostle Paul speaks of himself as follows:

 

2 Timothy 1:11 “whereunto I was appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher.”

 

And because this ministry was not given only to the apostle Paul, Paul exhorts Timothy to fulfill the work of an evangelist, as written in 2 Timothy 2:2 above: “The things which thou hast heard from me, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”

 

2 Timothy 1:13-14 “13 Hold the pattern of sound words which thou hast heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 14 That good thing which was committed unto thee guard through the Holy Spirit which dwelleth in us.”

 

2 Timothy 4:1-5 “1 I charge thee in the sight of God, and of Christ Jesus, who shall judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be urgent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts; 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside unto fables. 5 But be thou sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil thy ministry.”

 

Thus, in the last days, people will not endure sound doctrine. Having itching ears, they will heap up teachers for themselves according to their own desires, and they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to fables. Therefore, the preaching of the word will inevitably be all the more necessary for people in the last days.

 

1 Corinthians 1:21 “For seeing that in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom knew not God, it was God’s good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe.”

 

The necessity of preaching the gospel is well explained in the following words:

 

Romans 10:13-15 “13 for, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 and how shall they preach, except they be sent? even as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of good things!”

 

Truly, in the last days, whoever calls on the name of the Lord, that is, the name of Jesus, will be saved (Acts 2:16-21, Joel 2:28-32). Nevertheless, because the people of this world do not know God through their own wisdom, they cannot hear this gospel unless there is someone who preaches it. And because they have not heard, naturally they cannot believe in the name of Jesus, nor can they call upon it. In other words, people cannot receive the salvation of Jesus. Therefore, preaching the gospel is absolutely necessary for the people of this world.

 

Because of this necessity of preaching the gospel, the apostle Paul asked the brethren to pray for him as follows:

 

Colossians 4:3 “withal praying for us also, that God may open unto us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds.”

 

Ephesians 6:19-20 “19 And on my behalf, that utterance may be given unto me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”

 

Amen. Jesus also manifested His word through preaching in His own times. Therefore, we too must preach to others the mystery of the gospel entrusted to us, that is, the name of Jesus.

 

Titus 1:3 “but in his own seasons manifested his word in the message, wherewith I was intrusted according to the commandment of God our Saviour.”

 

Acts 5:40-42 “40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles unto them, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name. 42 And every day, in the temple and at home, they ceased not to teach and to preach Jesus as the Christ.”

 

Thus, Jesus and the disciples of Jesus boldly made known the gospel of the saving name of Jesus through preaching, without fearing whipping or death. Therefore, we also ought to preach in the same way. And when we preach in this way, Jesus will stand by us, strengthen us so that through us the word of preaching may be fully proclaimed, and save us unto His heavenly kingdom.

 

2 Timothy 4:17-18 “17 But the Lord stood by me, and strengthened me; that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 18 The Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will save me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

 

Amen.