Body Building

We have seen how God the Father (Psalm 25:9), Jesus the only begotten son (John 8:2) and the Holy Spirit (John 14:26) are each described in the scriptures as being our teachers. We also saw how God is eager to teach us His ways (His laws and plan of salvation) so that we may attain eternal life through Jesus.

The teaching of God’s Word is essential for the sanctification of the individual believer and the building up of the assembly of believers – the church.

Sanctification is the process of becoming like our Creator and Savior in our desires and actions. Jesus said, “A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40). Being like our teacher – our Lord and our God, is the primary goal of our lives. This was the desire of David’s heart when he asked God to teach him “Teach me Your way, O Yehovah; I will walk in Your truth” (Psalm 86:11).

We become like our teacher by studying His Word. “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man and woman of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).The Holy Spirit enables us both to understand the scripture (John 14:26) and to apply them. “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13).

The church is described as the body of Christ, “Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27). Jesus is the “head” of the body. “Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.” (Ephesians 5:23). The study of scripture strengthens the body by maturing the individual members.

God gave the church “teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-13). The ability to teach is an important qualification for church leaders - elders and overseers (1 Timothy 3:2 and 5:17).

However, every church member is responsible for teaching. “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another” (Colossians 3:16). When we meet, members should share with one another what God has been teaching them as they study His Word. “When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching”(1 Corinthians 14:26).

Moses was instructed to teach the people “the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they are to walk and the work they are to do” (Exodus 18:20). Applying these teachings will build up Christians individually and strengthen the church collectively.