Category Archives: Teacher Qualities

Hypocrisy isn’t new to the day in which we live because the reasons for it are part of the human condition — hearts far from God. In Matthew 15:7-9 we read of Jesus quoting from the Old Testament about the hypocrisy in Isaiah’s day, likening it to that which Jesus saw in the leaders and teachers of the law in His day.

Heart Issues Leading to Hypocrisy

Jesus defined hypocrites as people who “honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (Matt. 15:7-9). Think about heart issues that can cause us to be far from God.

Depraved Hearts

When we entertain sin in our own hearts and lives yet teach others to live upright, we’re hypocrites.

Defensive Hearts

When we struggle with the sin in our own hearts and lives yet judge others who do the same while pretending not to have the problem, we’re hypocrites.

Desperate Hearts

When we say what we know people want to hear yet do something else or do what will make us look good in order to gain their approval yet not really mean it, such people-pleasing behavior is hypocritical.

Distracted Hearts

When we get pulled away by our busyness, even in serving, and focus more on what we do than who we are, we’re heading down the road to hypocrisy.

Divided Hearts

When we’re consumed with self — what feels good to us and how we look to others, or when we’re focused on what we accomplish more than being sold out to God — what pleases Him and makes Him look good, then we’ll be quicker to yield to our hypocritical tendencies.

Hypocrisy is a Heart Issue and God Sees Right Through It

As Bible teachers we might think we can get away with our hypocrisy. Students don’t usually see our day-to-day lives. And, unless we’re honest with them, they don’t see what’s in our hearts. Here are some truths we need to keep in mind:

• People often see more than what we realize. Sometimes they see hypocrisy in us when we don’t acknowledge it in ourselves.
• God always sees right through our hypocrisy for He looks at the heart (1 Sam. 16:7; Ps. 44:21; Prov. 21:2).

Prevent Hypocrisy By Taking Care of Your Heart

We read in Scripture that “we who teach will be judged more strictly” (James 3:1). Verses before and after James 3:1 suggest that our accountability ties in to the need to back up our many words with actions — to not be hypocritical. Since hypocrisy is a heart issue, it behooves us as teachers to take care of, or guard, our hearts. — Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. (Prov. 4:23)

1) Assessment Needed

Since we don’t always see the hypocrisy in ourselves, we need an objective assessment of our heart, something only the One who truly sees our heart can do (Ps. 139:23-24; Prov. 17:3; 1 Thess. 2:4).

2) Abandonment of Plans to Hide

Since the One to whom we will give an account sees right through our hypocrisy, we’re foolish to hold on to pretending He doesn’t know. Reflect on these verses: Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the LORD, who do their work in darkness and think, “Who sees us? Who will know?” You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, “You did not make me”? Can the pot say to the potter, “You know nothing”? (Isa. 29:15-16)

3) Acknowledgement of Need for His Power

If “the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure” (Jer. 17:9), then abandoning hypocrisy won’t happen apart from a power greater than our hearts, which we have in Christ Jesus. Because of His resurrection power, we can set our “hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (Col. 3:1). There we’re stripped of all pretense. We exchange our depraved, defensive, desperate, distracted, and divided hearts for a heart devoted to and found pure in Him.

4) Authenticity Possible

None of us, no matter how long we’ve been teaching, will rid ourselves of hypocritical tendencies. But, we can be authentic, admitting that we are a work in progress, not claiming to have it all together, when we allow God to strip our hearts of pride and insecurities.

Preventing hypocrisy is so important for Bible teachers, not just because of our personal accountability, but also because of the effects it has on our students — the topic of the next post. Go to: Hypocrisy Affects Our Teaching

Though Jesus spoke of the religious leaders and teachers when He lived here on earth, Bible teachers today would do well to heed His words.

You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.” (Matt. 15:7-9)

Just as it did then, hypocrisy still affects not only one’s own life but also those they teach. Understanding that hypocrisy isn’t new doesn’t excuse us today but rather should make use more vigilant and accountable.

Hypocrisy Then and Now

Hypocrisy existed in Jesus’ day but also obviously long before that. Jesus quoted prophetic words also applied to people of Isaiah’s day as can be read in the context of the verse Jesus quoted (Isaiah 29:13). This chapter in Isaiah described Jerusalem, the city of David, known as Ariel, meaning the lion of God (Isa. 29:1), as spiritually blind, lethargic, and lacking authenticity. God confronted their hypocrisy saying, “Woe to you” (29:1, 15).

Centuries later Jesus addressed the hypocrisy found in the Pharisees and teachers of the law of His day. Read through the Gospels and you’ll find Jesus repeatedly calling out the religious leaders and teachers of His day for their hypocrisy. Matthew 15 gives us just one of many examples.

Are Bible teachers today any different? Perhaps we don’t do exactly what the teachers of the law did then, but we still find inconsistencies between what we say and what we do. We still find ourselves sometimes telling our students to do one thing while not doing it ourselves. Our pride can still keep us from admitting our struggles. We still find ourselves trying to take the speck out of someone’s eye while paying no attention to the plank in our own eye (Matt. 7:3-5).

Why It Helps to Know that Hypocrisy Isn’t New

Since hypocrisy has been a human struggle through the ages, we shouldn’t presume that we would be the exemption. We too can easily fall prey. Pride can keep us from admitting our own susceptibility to this human condition. And, that same pride leads us into it (Prov. 16:18). While not all Christians should be pegged as hypocrites, we do all have the potential. — We need awareness and vigilance against it.

Since God’s reaction to hypocrisy didn’t change from the days of Isaiah to the time of Jesus, we should assume that God’s assessment and reaction to it today would be the same. And, the effects of hypocrisy remain the same as seen in how many people still identify hypocrisy as a reason for not becoming a Christian. Though people need to be looking at our perfect Savior, their tendency is to look at His imperfect followers and draw conclusions from that. Hypocritical church leaders and teachers can stunt the health and growth of those they serve. Certainly God would still say, “Woe to you!” — We need accountability and victory over it.

Also Read:

• Hypocrisy is a Heart Issue
• Hypocrisy Affects Our Teaching

Certain qualities that make us more effective Bible teachers begin in the heart as an attitude, or disposition toward being a certain way. As those attitudes develop and grow within us, they turn into demonstrative actions.

Example of How Attitudes Turn Into Actions

We’ve previously looked at Bible teachers’ role as servants. If you click on that link to read the post, you’ll find what being a servant looks like in teachers. True servanthood grows out of an attitude of humility, the same attitude of Christ who came to serve rather than be served (Phil. 2:3-7).

Attitudes in Bible Teachers Leading to Actions that Make a Difference

Pray God develops attitudes within Bible teachers that cause them to make a difference in their students’ lives.

• Pray that teachers have an attitude of humility that enables them to truly serve students.
• Pray that teachers have an attitude of grace that enables them to be patient with students.
• Pray that teachers have an attitude of love that enables them to truly care for students.

The above prayer items were taken from the August guide in the Praying for Bible Teachers Throughout the Year Guide which uses the A in August to remind us to pray for Attitudes.

God’s Word is a source of joy. If Bible teachers lack that joy, their teaching will be missing the effects of joy. When that happens, how are their students to believe “the precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart” (Ps. 19:8)?

Here’s How Joy Affects Teaching

Joy affects our …

enthusiasm … how much passion teachers have in teaching.

exertion … how much time and effort they’re willing to put into teaching.

effectiveness … how much impact their teaching has on others.

How You Can Help Bible Teachers Maintain or Rediscover Joy in Teaching

1) Provide reminders of why there’s joy in teaching God’s Word.

Resource: Rediscovering the Joy of Teaching PowerPoint Presentation

2) Support and encourage teachers regularly and in a variety of ways.

Resource: Encouragers for Teachers of God’s Word

3) Pray for them.

Resource: Praying for Bible Teachers Throughout the Year Guide (The June Guide uses the J in June to remind us to pray for joy. Here are some suggestions from it:

The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. (Ps. 19:8)

• Pray that Bible teachers find teaching to be a source of joy, not merely fulfilling an obligation.
• Ask God to help teachers maintain their joy so teaching doesn’t become a drudgery.
• Pray that joy in the Lord and His Word exude from teachers’ very being.