Do Christians Need Bible Teachers?

27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit -- just as it has taught you, remain in him. (1 John 2:27, NIV)

1 John 2:27 is the preacher and Bible teacher's nightmare verse because it seems to say that you do not need a teacher. Is this what is meant by the Apostle John, writing under the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit? Let us try to unravel this a bit.

First, what you have in Christ is the Holy Spirit to teach you. "The anointing you received from him remains in you"  and "as His anointing teaches you about all things"-- the Holy Spirit is your forever possession. He is the one who will guide you into all truth (ref. John 14:16-17, 14:26,16:13) if you listen to Him. And He will never contradict the words of Scripture because He is the one who inspired the prophets and apostles in writing it. He knows Scripture and how it applies to you in your life. This, by the way, is why you sometimes remember certain portions of Scripture at particular points in your life -- that is the Holy Spirit reminding you of His word that you need at that particular point in time. Be alert as He brings to mind the Scripture He inspired. He "remains in you" to bring to mind those truths that He knows best you need.

Second, because God wrote His word in a way that generally can be understood by the average person, you do not necessarily need anyone to find out what God has revealed in Scripture. The Bible says, "you do not need anyone to teach you" -- you can understand the basic truths of Scripture as you study them yourself because the Holy Spirit of God indwells you. God's word is not unreachable or unknowable because the Author indwells you to help you understand and apply it in your life. The elementary truths of the gospel that you believed are readily apparent in Scripture as you study it yourself, guided by the Holy Spirit who indwells you.

Third, you can know that what you are studying is true because it points you to faith in and obedience to our LORD Jesus Christ. "As that anointing is real, not counterfeit -- just as it has taught you, remain in him." -- you can tell the real anointing of the Holy Spirit for He will be in agreement with the word of God. He will not cause you to disrupt a church service by making a spectacle of yourself but will lead you in worship of the LORD Jesus Christ. He will lead you along the straight paths, toward the righteous decisions, and through the dark valleys with comfort and grace. The Holy Spirit will affirm what glorifies the LORD Jesus Christ (John 16:14).

Preachers and Bible teachers are very helpful in your spiritual growth process. They can distill the truths of Scripture into readily understandable and usable portions. They can unravel the difficult verses and baffling doctrines which the believer can believe because it is stated in God's word while at the same time not really comprehending all of it. God has called some to be pastor-teachers (Eph. 4:11) and equipped them with the gift of teaching (Rom. 12:7; 1 Cor. 12:8). Therefore, such teachers are necessary to the building up of the body of Christ. At the same time, you can know the truth on your own because you have the testimony of God's word and the confirmation of His Holy Spirit.

Our Creator God loves you and wants you to know Him! If you would like to contact this ministry for further information or questions, please send your e-mail to:
Email: ministryrequest1@WordTruth.Com
Web Site: WordTruth.Com

Copyright 1999, Randy Lariscy.