05 March 2023
Two-Minute Features | 12 March 2023

God or People Judging the Teacher? Part 4 (TMF:2045)

Friday, March 10, 2023
Peace to Live By: God or People Judging the Teacher? Part 4 (TMF:2045) - Daniel Litton
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       Christians on the lower levels of consciousness, and definitely those who don’t closely follow Christianity, in a way desire for a preacher to be less than perfect, even to perhaps fail. Why is that? Well, the obvious answer becomes true: people wish to feel better about themselves in their lower level of thinking. People on the higher levels wish for their fellow peers to succeed, even those peers who are ranked in society above them. These kinds of people feel bad when a player on the opposing sports team is unable to get up because he is injured. The lower level person, though they may not express it, secretly is happy and delighted that the player was injured because they will take any advantage that will benefit their team and the winning of the game. We are talking about preachers here—that is what James is referring to—though this truth is seen in just about any celebrity, any person who is looked up to above the rest. Going back to sports, we know that a player can be either highly praised or highly criticized, depending on his or her performance for the game he or she just partook in. They can be a star one week, and highly disliked the next.

God or People Judging the Teacher? Part 3 (TMF:2044)

Thursday, March 09, 2023
Peace to Live By: God or People Judging the Teacher? Part 3 (TMF:2044) - Daniel Litton
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       A second issue is that none of us are perfect. It’s not that a preacher needs to maintain a certain level of perfection more than others as is commonly believed. That’s self-righteousness. Really, that’s not possible. All of us, no matter who we are, first have a sin nature. Secondly, we have the capacity to make mistakes. I think behind what James is saying to us then is that if you do not wish to be criticized, if you don’t have thick skin to endure God’s people who are on the lower levels of consciousness, then perhaps you might want to decide not to be a preacher. This is the Law of Liberty in action. Really, though, this is something that is developed over time—that is—having thick skin, at least to some degree. Some of our boldness is obviously inborn or gifted by God. Christians on the lower levels of consciousness, and definitely those who don’t closely follow Christianity, in a way desire for a preacher to be less than perfect, even to perhaps fail. Why is that?

God or People Judging the Teacher? Part 2 (TMF:2043)

Wednesday, March 08, 2023
Peace to Live By: God or People Judging the Teacher? Part 2 (TMF:2043) - Daniel Litton
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       You see, one issue is that people may question the right of the person who has decided to preach, as if they are the ultimate decider and judge in such matters. God may gift a person to great preaching skill who has no higher education, anything above a four year college degree or even one who has no college degree at all. In American society, God calls women to preach (2). He gifts them with effectiveness and good ability to do so. In other parts of the world, where women preachers might not be acceptable, God perhaps will not call a woman. The point is that God is the ultimate decider in these matters. No human tradition, or even traditional interpretation of the Bible can prohibit the Spirit of God from doing what he wants and decides to do. A second issue is that none of us are perfect. It’s not that a preacher needs to maintain a certain level of perfection more than others as is commonly believed. That’s self-righteousness. Really, that’s not possible. All of us, no matter who we are, first have a sin nature.

(2) I would recommend the book ‘She Offered Them Christ: The Legacy of Women Preachers in Early Methodism’ by Paul W. Chilcote. This book provides a good summery of the becoming and therefore history of women preachers in England several hundred years ago.

God or People Judging the Teacher? Part 1 (TMF:2042)

Tuesday, March 07, 2023
Peace to Live By: God or People Judging the Teacher? Part 1 (TMF:2042) - Daniel Litton
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       We know sisters who preach within various evangelical congregations, like the Methodists and Presbyterians, and even other groups such as Vineyard congregations. Regardless, to any person out there, male or female, if you are considering becoming a preacher, you need to consider what James says here today. And that’s because of the next part of the verse: “we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” For a real long time, in my early evangelical days, I use to believe this verse was referring to God himself. I read it that God was going to judge me with greater strictness at the Judgment Day if I decided to become a teacher. After thinking about this verse for years, I came to the conclusion that it is probably better understood that other people, instead of God, are the ones who will judge us with greater strictness. You see, one issue is that people may question the right of the person who has decided to preach, as if they are the ultimate decider and judge in such matters.

To Teach or Not to Teach, Part 2 (TMF:2041)

Monday, March 06, 2023
Peace to Live By: To Teach or Not to Teach, Part 2 (TMF:2041) - Daniel Litton
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       Now, James says that, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers.” This is one of those instances where the “my brothers” is not noted as being alternatively translated “my brothers and sisters”; this is in the ESV Bible. In James time, only men taught. That’s the way it was in Jewish society. As a matter of fact, remember, the Apostle Paul came down pretty hard on this, saying that women weren’t even allowed to ask a question in a church setting, whether that be within in a service or even a Bible study. Now, in our day and age, no one I know (except maybe the Amish), practices this latter concept (1). Some churches, especially in the traditional evangelical sect, do not allow women to be ministers, pastors, or reverends. These churches still practice Paul’s section about not letting a women teach, but not the section about the women speaking in church (they let them ask questions or give announcements or whatever).

(1) The evening after recording this sermon, in my free time I was reading a book about an Amish couple and they in fact confirmed what I thought would likely be the case, that Amish women do not speak during their services or Bible studies. This book is an excellent read, by the way, and is called ‘Plain Faith' by Irene & Ora Jay Eash with Tricia Goyer. See pages 74 & 75 for what I am referring to.