James 3:1- Not Many Of Your Should Be Teachers

If you were to Google what are the most dangerous jobs are you would discover the following results,

• logging

• fisherman

• aircraft and flight engineers

• roofers

• steel workers and structural iron workers

• trash and recycling workers

• miners

• agricultural workers

• truck drivers

• electrical line workers

Are you surprised by any of these results?

In James 3:1 we are reminded that there is an occupation that is even more dangerous than anything that showed up on this top 10 list. James tells us in verse 1 that preaching and teaching the Scriptures to the assembled congregation is something that not many people should decide to do casually.

There is a reason why there should not be many teachers but it may not have been the reason that I was thinking about. In the Thursday morning bible study we are looking at the Book of Acts and as we have considered Paul’s missionary journeys we have seen that he experienced a lot of suffering and trials in ministry. Even today, we know that there are Christian pastors who are often putting their lives, and perhaps the lives of their families, at risk as they faithfully fulfill the call God has given to them.

Is this why preaching and teaching God’s word is so dangerous?

No, in fact, when you consider the life of the Apostle Paul we would have to determine that he often encouraged faithful young ministers to not be ashamed of his chains but to be willing to suffer with him if needed for the sake of the gospel. (2 Timothy 2:1-7) Paul taught unashamedly that every believer was to expect suffering on Christ’s behalf. (Acts 14:22)

James gives this command because every pastor, overseer, and elder will one day stand before God and give an account for the things that he has taught from behind the pulpit. When that day comes the teacher of God’s Word will be judged with greater strictness than others. James says that these teachers there will be a greater judgment, a greater condemnation, a heavier judgment, and they will be judged more severely. (miscellaneous translations)

• Matthew 12:36-37 tells us that all men will have to give an account for every idle and vain word that they have spoken.

• Hebrews 13:17 tells us that every minister in God’s church will have to give an account before the LORD.

• 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 tells us that the Day of the LORD will reveal what each person has built upon the foundation of Christ. Some of the things our labors have made will endure and others will not.

Those who teach in God’s church will be judged more strictly because of the role they have functioned in among God’s people. As a teacher, they can have a good and godly effect upon those who hear, or they will lead them astray and such a teaching spreads like gangrene among God’s people. (1 Timothy 4:16; 2 Tim. 2:17-20)

We are going to read this morning James 3:1-12 so that you can see the context of what James will be saying over the next couple of weeks, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.”

James reminds us in verse 1 of the great responsibility that men have taken upon themselves when they begin to teach God’s people as a minister, a pastor, an elder, and an overseer. Throughout this Letter James has humbled himself and identified with these ordinary believers. He did not begin this letter by telling the recipients that he was Jesus’ half-brother. Nor did James come and speak about the fact that he was the pastor in the Church of Jerusalem and an Apostle. No, James has often placed himself right among these believers and has often called them ‘brothers and sisters’.

Because James has done this his words in this verse stand out all the more sharply. We are now half-way into this letter and it is only now that James sets up a boundary between what he does and what so many others should not do. He says, “Not many of you all should become teachers, brothers, for you know that WE who teach will be judged with greater strictness”.

Notice the words that James uses carefully when he says, “Not many of you should”. He does not say, “Not many of you can” or “Not many of you have the ability”. Every loving parent knows the difference between these phrases. Parents often tell their kids right before they discipline them, “Just because you can do something does not mean that you should do it.”

I had a friend in high school who loved to speak to large crowds. He often said that the larger the crowd the less he was anxious. The bigger the crowd the more comfortable he felt in front of them.

Because he was so comfortable before people he was often told by others in the church that he had the calling of God on his life to do something special for the LORD. But is it true that just because he liked to talk to large crowds he should preach and teach. Did he study the Word of God to show himself approved? Did he have a knowledge that puffed up or a love that builds up? Was he spiritually gifted and called by God to go into ministry? Did he meet the qualifications listed in Titus 1 and 1 Timothy 3?

When James gives this command his conscience is clear and his motive is pure. What I mean is that James is not saying this because he is jealous of another person’s gifts and wants to hold them back. James is not self-seeking as he tries to protect the role he has been given in the church. James does not do this because he is operating from worldly wisdom which is earthly, unspiritual and demonic. (3:13-16) No, James commands this because of the liability that comes with this God-given calling, “...for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”

Notice that this warning would not have surprised any of the recipients of this letter. This must have been something that was widely known and accepted in the early church because James says, ‘for you know’ this brothers. This was not information that only the ministers talked about among themselves. No, this should be common church practice. Therefore, there are two applications from this.

• First, some individuals who were aspiring to become teachers in the church needed to heed this warning and determine whether or not they should continue to pursue ministry. Maybe they were doing this for status, for a job, for people’s approval, to earn salvation, etc.

• Secondly, the entire congregation needed to remember and obey this command and warning associated with it. If they did this this instruction would be part of their ecclesiology and they would have appropriate structures and systems in place.

Here at Community Church we believe that the scriptures teach that a church is to be led by a group of qualified teaching elders and this is a gift to any church. Consider the Church in Antioch or the Church in Corinth. (Acts 13:1; 1 Corinthians 1:12) Those churches had many qualified and capable teachers in those congregations. This gave them a great deal of safety and allowed them to do a lot of effective ministry. James knows the blessing that it is to have a group of qualified and faithful elders when he will write in James 5:14, “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.”

When James writes, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”, James is not trying to be a joy killer who casts a shadow of darkness over this whole topic. He is not trying to discourage those who are truly called to ministry. No, the opposite is true in this verse.

Illustration: This week someone mentioned to me that they think God might be calling them into the ministry. My first reaction was not to quote our text today and tell him to pursue this no farther. No, my first reaction was joy and excitement that God might be calling this man into ministry. The fountain from which this excitement flowed was that both of us knew the seriousness of this call. We both know how serious this is and in some strange way it made us both a bit more happy and joyful that God calls the weak, the base, and ignoble people to do such things. Praise the LORD for His kindness, goodness and grace. (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)

The man who serves the LORD in preaching and teaching of the Word of God does not take this responsibility upon himself. Ministers are called by God are to be faithful men who are set apart, gifted and equipped for this ministry to God’s precious people. These men are stewards and overseers who must prove to be faithful to the calling they have received for one day they will be judged more strictly.

Those who prove to be faithful will one day be rewarded by the chief Shepherd in the future. Peter speaks of this when he says in 1 Peter 5:1-4, “So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, bur eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”

In our text James shows us that there is a caution to be heeded. James says clearly and succinctly, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”

• The New American Standard Version says, “Do not become teachers in large numbers, my brothers, since you know that we who are teachers will incur a stricter judgment.”

• The Amplified Version says, “Not many [of you] should become teachers [serving in an official teaching capacity], my brothers and sisters, for you know that we [who are teachers] will be judged by a higher standard [because we have assumed greater accountability and more condemnation if we teach incorrectly].”

When James says, “Not many of you should become teachers…”, he is speaking of the person who is filling the teaching pastor role of a church. He is not trying to discourage the majority of believers from serving the LORD in some way with the gifts that He has provided.

• Parents are to teach their kids.

• Women are called upon to teach the young women in the church about how they are to love their husbands and their children.

• All believers are called to disciple others when they have opportunity to do so.

James is reminding us that there are not to be many people in the church who serve in an official role as a teacher of His Word from behind the pulpit. As the shepherd serves God’s people they are to be using their gifts and expressing their faith and love by obeying verses like:

• Hebrews 13:7- “Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.”

• Hebrews 13:17a- “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account.”

I have a little book by Albert N. Martin who has now gone on to be with the LORD. The book is entitled, ‘Preaching in the Power of the Spirit’, and it may help illustrate how God can use everyone but some are set apart for the role of teaching the congregation.

In this book Dr. Martin tells the story about when he was 17. He and some friends had not been saved for very long when they were encouraged by some men in the church to share their faith with others. Because of the encouragement of these older men all of these young boys went out one night in February of 1952 and shared their testimony and the Gospel with their friends and anyone who would listen. All of these young boys did this that night but Albert Martin’s destiny was changed.

Not all of those boys were called to be full-time ministers that night but Albert Martin was. After that experience he would never be the same. He writes, “In a real sense, that night was my ‘coming out party’ in openly and boldly confessing my attachment to Christ before my peers. It was also my ‘spoiled for life party’, in that I experienced on that occasion what I now know to be the immediate agency and operation of the Holy Spirit in the act of preaching.”

James says, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers…”. James is giving a command (imperative verb) that not many should become teachers. Notice that this is not that James is writing to both saved and unsaved people. James is addressing Christians when he calls them brothers. He does not say this because there are some who are not Christians and therefore they should not be teachers, ministers, and pastors of the flock of God. Neither is James saying that there should not be many teachers until they fulfill a long list of qualifications. He gives this warning because one day a teacher in God’s church will be judged more strictly than those who are not.

Everyone receives certain gifts when they become a believer but not everyone is called to be a pastor, an elder, or an overseer. We all have different gifts and callings and we serve in many different ways and all are important.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body- Jews or Greeks, slaves or free- and all were made to drink of one Spirit.”

Then Paul goes on to say, “For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as He chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.” (14-20)

Finally Paul goes on to say, “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts.” (27-31)

All believers, no matter what gift they are given, have received the Spirit. (Galatians 3:28-29) This is something to rejoice in! It is God who arranges the members within the body as He chooses. I mention these things because none of us should despise the gifts that God has given to us. None of us should envy others or the offices that others have. None of us should act out of selfish ambition regarding these things. None of us should boast from a heart that is filled with such sins and be false to the truth. (James 3:13-18)

James is warning that teachers will be judged more strictly than others. As we consider the scriptures we know that there are many reasons for us to tremble as we consider these things. There are so many men who fall into sin when they attempt to teach the scriptures. For example,

• 1) There is the heretic preacher in Gal. 1:6-9 - preached another gospel and tampered with grace.

• 2) There is the hypocrite preacher in Matt. 23:4 - the religious Pharisee that said one thing and did another.

• 3) There is the uneducated preacher in 1 Tim. 1:6-7- wanted to teach, had never been taught grace and didn’t know what they were talking about. They didn’t know how the law was even used.

• 4) There is the ear tickling preacher in 2 Tim. 4:3 - religious teacher who scratched religious itches and never tried to rightly divide the Word of truth. Just made people feel good.

• 5) There is the jealous preacher who preached with motives of envy and jealousy. Phil. 1:15

• 6) There is the limelight preacher who wants the notoriety and applause of people. Matt. 23:6-7

• 7) There is the traditionalist preacher who taught man-made traditions and rules. Col. 2:8

• 8) There is the legalist preacher who taught religious legalism and codes to be right with God. 1 Tim. 4:3

The Scriptures give so many examples of what a good teacher looks like and we do not have time to consider more than one. Let us end by considering Acts 14:1-7. In Acts 14 Paul and Barnabas are on their first missionary journey. When they come to Iconium they go to the Synagogue and they spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed. (1)

Because of this the unbelieving Jews stirred up trouble and began to ‘poison the minds’ of the Gentiles against the brothers: Paul, Barnabas, and the new believers. (2) Eventually this ‘poisoning of the minds’ would result in the Jews and the Gentiles attempting to kill Paul! (5)

I love how Paul and Barnabas responded to this difficult situation in v. 3. This is where we see that Paul and Barnabas were faithful ministers that God rewarded. We read, “So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the LORD, who bore witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.”

Paul and Barnabas were faithful minsters as they…

• They labored long and hard under difficult circumstances.

• They did not give up, they did not compromise, they defended God’s people and His Word.

• They did not become timid, weak, or shrink back; rather, they spoke boldly for the LORD.

• They were willing to endure great suffering and pressure to preserve the word of His grace, the Gospel regarding Jesus Christ.

Because they did these things God judged them to be faithful stewards and He granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands. They endured under the pressure faithfully so God knew He could use them as His instruments through which His power would be seen and experienced by others. Paul and Barnabas would not become prideful, selfish, arrogant. No, they continued in the grace of God as they proclaimed it to others for the good of God’s people.

Extra Content: This text contains some significant things that we can consider grammatically regarding the scriptures commands regarding the office of elder, pastor, and overseer. Usually when we want to consider these things we go to 1 Timothy 3 or Titus 1 which speak about the qualifications for an elder. James 3:1 would not be considered the major proof text on these things, however, this text may be more helpful than we first suspect.

Throughout most of church history it has been taught from the scriptures, and practiced in the church, that men are to hold the office of elder, pastor, overseer. In recent decades, however, there has been more acceptance within churches to abandoned this teaching from scripture and women are being allowed to fill these offices.

There are two main views that you will find in churches today which are called egalitarianism and complimentarianism.

• Egalitarian is the view that men and women have no distinctive roles and responsibilities within the church. They say that the gospel has eliminated these distinctions and now both men and women can both fill these responsibilities.

• Complimentarianism, on the other hand, believes that the bible teaches that men and woman are both sharers in grace and in regards to salvation there is no distinction between men and woman, however, there are scriptural roles and responsibilities that are different between men and women. For example, the role of an elder, pastor, and overseer is to be filled by men who meet certain biblical qualifications.

Our text, in a subtle way, may help clarify the biblical practice regarding these things. For example, James, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is speaking about the office of the elder and teacher in the church. Notice some of the details in the grammar when he writes this verse.

• The noun “teachers” and the noun “brethren” (v. 1) are both masculine.

• The noun “man” in verse 2 is a word meaning a man as opposed to a woman.

• The pronoun “he” in verse 2 is a masculine pronoun.

As we observe these things we can conclude that James believed that in the corporate setting of the church, the teachers are to be qualified men. This also is in agreement with what Paul taught in other places like 1 Cor. 14:34; 1 Tim. 2:12. If these things are clarifying a topic which is so confused today we can say that the churches that are not following these teachings in scriptures are in violation of the Word of God and are going to face a serious judgment according to James 3:1, “...for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”

When I have discussed this with others I will often hear them defend egalitarianism by saying something like, “But this person clearly has the gift of teaching! Why shouldn’t they use their gift in this way. How can it be wrong for them to do so?”

Remember what James said, “Many of you should not teach”. He did not say that many could not teach or possess the ability to teach. Our gifts should be submitted to God and regulated by Him and His Word. Like everything, when we use our gifts according to God’s commands we are more usable by Him for His glory. Those who do this will not do it to be rewarded now but later when we are judged by the LORD.