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

Our text is found in James 3:1 which says, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”

In this verse James is addressing those men who are, or who desire to become, a teacher in the church. Those who have been given this position (elder, overseer, shepherd) are given a stewardship that they must prove to be faithful in.

Question: Why does James take this moment to single out the teaching elders within the church before moving on to address the power of the tongue which can be used for good and for evil in every person? (James 3:1-12)

Answer: Elders ought to be men who lead the congregation in the very things James has been speaking about in this letter. They should be faithful men who know the Word, teach the Word of God accurately and boldly, and they should be doers of the Word of God. (Ezra 7:10- For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach His statutes and rules in Israel.)

Elders are not to be like those who have been previously described in James 2:14-26.

• Elders are not to be like those who say they have faith but do not have works. (14)

• Elders are not to profess a dead faith which has no life and ability to produce fruit. (17)

• Elders are not to be a foolish person who needs to be shown that faith without works is useless. (20) Such a faith could not save them or the people that they would be teaching!

It would appear that James is writing to churches where many people desired to be teachers. These people, either in a formal manner through the office of an elder, or through an informal manner without the office, took every opportunity to speak and express their opinions among God’s people. (Proverbs 18:22- A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.)

This may be why James has previously said…

• “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith with no doubting…” (1:5-6)

• “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger…”. (19)

• “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this persons religion is worthless.” (26)

Illustration: It is believed that Ernest Shackleton ran a newspaper ad to recruit men to climb Mt. Everest with these words, “Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honor and recognition in event of success.” Astonishingly, men signed up for this expedition!

Similarly, this ad is similar to the call that has gone out to so many ministers since the Fall. God’s ministers are called to serve in a difficult vocation where they will be loved by some and hated by others. The invitation to an elder might say, “Godly and faithful men are wanted to embark upon a hazardous journey. There can be low wages, bitter circumstances, long hours of working in spiritually dark places. Your days will be filled with the threat of danger. But God promises that if these challenges are overcome He will reward you with honor and recognition.”

There will be people who will want to be ministers for many different reasons. Some will be good and some will be bad. Paul speaks of some of these motivations in Philippians 1:15-17, “Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.”

Since people seek to be teaching elders for all sorts of reasons, and under many different types of circumstances, James expresses the ultimate reason why everyone who teaches, or desires to teach, should pause and consider what they are doing. James warns against becoming a teaching elder because those ‘who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”

Since the Fall God’s ministers have often faced danger and death, but one day they will face an even greater danger on the Day of Judgment. (Matthew 23; 1 Corinthians 3:13) Being a preacher of God’s Word is not easy; therefore, many good, godly, and faithful elders should expect to endure shame, ridicule, and possibly even death for preaching God’s Word. Jesus spoke when He said, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:11-12)

Jesus is speaking to every Christian, therefore, when Christians suffer it is important that they are able to follow the example of faithful under-shepherds. Like Paul, ministers are to lead God’s people by filling up in their bodies the suffering of Christ on behalf of the church. (Colossians 1:24) Again, this is a reason why Paul highlights them in James 3:1.

We learned this when we studied the Book of Hebrews, “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.” (Hebrews 13:7) Faithful Christian ministers are to be remembered for...

• How they spoke God’s Word in season and out of season. (2 Timothy 4:2)

• How their lives were characterized by godliness, righteousness, and holiness in an unbelieving culture. (1 Timothy 4:16)

• How all of these things were done by them through faith. (Galatians 2:20)

• Therefore, God’s ministers are to be remembered and imitated by others.

God’s shepherds are to be examples to the flock in their actions and in their words and one day the LORD will judge them more strictly than others. Paul spoke of the importance of what James is teaching us in 1 Corinthians 4:1-5. There Paul says, “This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.” Notice that God’s people are to have regard for God’s ministers. This means they are to consider their words and lifestyle and these things ought to prove that they are ‘servants of God, and of the LORD Jesus Christ’. (1:1)

Chad, Klaven, Bob, is this not very humbling for us to consider? We are to be visible, available, and living among this congregation in such a way that the congregation is able to examine our lives and follow our example.

Paul emphasizes that a minister is to lead others by their example in word, as stewards of the mysteries of God; and in deed, servants not of men but of Christ. This is the standard of the elder before the people and it is never to be anything lower than these two things. (1:1)

Paul then says, “Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.” Again, a minister who is found faithful to be faithful will obey Christ in word and deed. And when they sin and fall short of this they repent and believe the Gospel. (Hebrews 6:1-2)

We should ask, ‘Who’s job is it to find a minister faithful in these things?’ Paul answers this question next when he says, “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself…”.

These words appear to be somewhat strange? Paul has just said that a minister is to be found faithful in word and in deed. We know that these words will be spoken before men and that their deeds will be done before men. And yet, Paul says, “...it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court.”

Paul is not saying that he is completely free from the witness of others upon his ministry. He says that their judgment is a ‘very small thing’ as compared to something else. Paul was a faithful and effective minister because his focus was always upon the LORD and not upon men and what they thought.

Paul did not believe himself to be above any accountability before men, but he knows that he is held to a higher standard by God who sees the heart and accountable to Him. We saw this earlier when Paul said, “It is required of stewards that they be found faithful.” To whom is Paul ultimately accountable? To God before whom he will one day stand and be judged! Men who do not want to be subject to God will be enslaved to something else. (Romans 1) Then in the end they will bow their knee to God. (Philippians 2:10-11)

Paul lives free from the judgment of others, but he is not free from ever being judged. Paul says, “...but I am not thereby acquitted.” Paul, and any other teacher in God’s church, will be accountable before the LORD for what they have done and said. Paul says, “It is the Lord who judges me.”

Notice: every teacher in God’s church will be judged individually before God! In this sense, let us say with Peter, “If all others abandon you I never will because I know there is a day of judgment and I want to be found faithful.”(Matthew 26:33) Paul then says, “Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.”

If you have ever read Matthew 12:36-37 you have felt the weight of Jesus’ words when He tells us that ‘every person will give an account for every idle word that they have spoken’. How much more then should a teacher consider the judgment that is awaiting them?!

Those who teach will be judged more strictly because of the role they have functioned in among God’s people. A teacher can have a good effect upon those who hear as the Word of God. (1 Thessalonians 1:2-10) However, they can also lead many astray with strange and diverse teachings that spread like gangrene. (1 Timothy 4:16; 2 Tim. 2:17-20)

Throughout this letter James has identified himself with these ordinary believers.

• James did not remind everyone that he was Jesus’ half brother.

• James has not mentioned that he’s the pastor in Jerusalem and an Apostle.

• James has often referred to them as ‘beloved brothers and sisters’.

Because James has done this his words here should immediately capture our attention. Half way into this letter James sets up a boundary between what he does and what so many others should not do. Notice that James says, “Not many of you should”. He does not say, “Not many of you can” or “Not many of you have the ability”. Every parent knows the difference between these phrases. Parents often tell their kids, “Just because you can do something does not mean that you should do it.”

There are so many people filling pulpits today because they can and not because they should! Those who defend their view of egalitarianism often say, “God would not allow a person to possess such gifts and then not be able to use them.” As if God does not provide proper expressions for those gifts to be used. Just because someone can teach does not mean that they should. (1 Cor. 14:34; 1 Tim. 2:12)

Illustration: I had a friend who loved to speak to large crowds. The bigger the crowd the more comfortable he felt. Because of this he was often told by others that he had the call of God on his life to pastor. Maybe this is true, but I did not hear people ask if he...

• Studied the Word of God to show himself approved?

• Had a knowledge that puffed up or a love that builds up?

• Was spiritually gifted and called by God to go into ministry?

• Met the qualifications listed in Titus 1 and 1 Timothy 3?

The command that James gives would not have surprised the recipients of this letter because James says, ‘for you know’ this brothers. This appears to have been something that was widely known and accepted in the churches. There are two applications from this.

• First, some individuals needed to heed this warning and determine if they should continue to pursue ministry. Maybe they pursued this for status, a job, people’s approval, to earn salvation.

• Secondly, the entire congregation obey this instruction and incorporate it into their ecclesiology with the appropriate structures and systems.

At Community Church we believe the scriptures teach that a church is to be led by a group of qualified men who are approved to be elders. James also believed in a plurality of qualified elders. We see this 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.”, he is not trying to be a joy killer, a dream smasher, and someone who casts a shadow of doubt over these things. He is not trying to discourage those who are truly called to ministry. No, the opposite is true.

Illustration: This week someone mentioned to me that they think God might be calling them into the ministry. 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 it made us happy and joyful to think that God calls the weak, the base, and ignoble to do such things. Praise the LORD for His grace. (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)

Ministers who are called by God are set apart, gifted and equipped for this ministry to serve God’s people. Those who prove to be faithful will one day be rewarded by the chief Shepherd. 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.”

Just as Peter reminds us of the blessing promised; James reminds us of a warning that is to be heeded if we are to ever receive that reward. James says clearly, “...for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”

When James says these things in James 3:1 he is not trying to discourage the majority of believers from serving 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.

• Ministers are to build up the body to do the work of the ministry.

Every believer has received certain gifts when they believed upon Christ. We all have different gifts and 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 of us should be thankful because everyone has received the Holy Spirit and with Him these gifts. (Galatians 3:28-29) It is God who arranges the members within the body as He chooses. Therefore none of us should despise the gifts that God has given. None of us should envy others and the offices that they have. (James 3:13-18)

There are many reasons for ministers to tremble when they consider James 3:1. There are so many ways that a minister can fall into sin when they teach. For example,

• 1) There is the heretic preacher in Gal. 1:6-9. This man preaches another gospel and tampers with grace.

• 2) There is the hypocrite preacher in Matt. 23:4. This man is like the religious Pharisee that says one thing and does another.

• 3) There is the uneducated preacher in 1 Tim. 1:6-7. This person wants to teach but he was never taught grace and he did not know what he so confidently taught. This teacher did not know how to use the law and grace in his teaching.

• 4) There is the ear tickling preacher in 2 Tim. 4:3. There are those teachers who scratch religious itches and never try to rightly divide the Word of truth. This teacher does not teach to honor God but to simply make 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 legalistic preacher who taught religious legalism and codes to be right with God. 1 Tim. 4:3

Concluding Example of a Faithful Minister: In Acts 14:1-7 Paul and Barnabas are on their first missionary journey. When they come to Iconium they go to the Synagogue and they speak 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. (2) Eventually this ‘poisoning of the minds’ would result in these people 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 in the present and one day in the future. 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 who…

• Labored long and hard under difficult circumstances. They did not give up and they did not compromise.

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

• The gracious words that they spoke concerning Jesus Christ angered many but also built up the church.

• Because they were willing to do these things God bore witness concerning their words and their actions with signs and wonders.

• These blessings will pale in comparison to the blessings that they will receive when God commends them for their faithfulness on the day of judgment.