Entrust to Reliable people.

“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” 2nd Timothy 2:2.

Yesterday we talked about the role of a local church in equipping believers for the works of service. Having an understanding of the origin and enduring nature of the Scripture (the Bible) along with its powerful usefulness in teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness are divine qualities every believer in Christ must acknowledge and practice. This is mainly because we are not dealing with an earthly originated book but trying to grasp a heavenly originated and God-breathed one. Efficient guidance by skillfully trained believers coupled essentially with the power of the Holy Spirit-both is essential to grasp the Scripture.

2nd Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Did you listen to it carefully? It says the scripture is not only useful in teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, but also the God-breathed scripture is the source of thorough equipment for every good work God prepared for you to do.

Beloved, by this time you may have noticed, I am a person who has a very high appreciation and regard for the Scripture and the reliable people and institutions who equip our generation and next with it. In this regard, many of the conservative, evangelical, and truly Biblical theological institutes played a huge role in the past and today. Those are the places that cultivate deep Biblical understanding by equipping the qualified and reliable with the skillfulness of the Word of God and sending them out for God’s work around the world.

Would there be faults and failures? Of course, yes- because we live in this sin-bound world with all its inadequacies. We are not there in heaven as of yet. However, think about the great and excellent things accomplished by these God-designed institutions and great scholars these places produced. Chances are there one of the books you have in your library would be authored by one who was trained properly in a reliable Bible institute.

Some Christians may not have the resources and time to attend and learn from such prestigious places. Do not worry. God has a different calling for different people to fulfill their God-prepared works here on this face of the earth. Such training is not mandatory to do God’s work. However, if He prompts you to attend a place/learn from a person, you must do it. God’s spirit would be prompting you in this regard. When I went to study in seminary, I felt strong inner prompting and therefore I left the secular college where I was studying for an MBA Course. Make a note -the inner prompting can be irresistible. You must obey the Lord if that is the case.

Another point -Thank God common believers can also equip themselves with the literature and books available from Bible-based authors. This is part of equipping the universal body of Christ with the spiritual gifts God entrusted with them. Praise God for them and their works.

I believe our today’s insight is one of the motivational statements for such great institutions. Apostle Paul says, “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” Entrusting the truth of the Scripture to reliable people who would be qualified to teach others around the world is the mission of all those true Bible-based theological institutions.

One other way is to share your knowledge you gained with others in your circles. This is possible in a local church setting if the leaders have the vision for such matters. The receptibility must also be there to accomplish this. Sadly many of the church leaders these days lack the passion and vision in this regard. In such places, the Bible-based theological training colleges have an indescribable calling to fulfill.