Confessions of a Sunday School Teacher

 

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. James 3:1

 

I went to Sunday School and Church “religiously” as a child and I always assumed that meant I was a Christian. I took my own children to Sunday School and also taught it. I figured that added a little more proof to my Christianity. And, I taught Junior High kids – surely that was worth a few more points with the Lord!

Through listening to some teaching on Christian radio I learned that everyone was a sinner and that included me! Then I understood that God demands a sacrifice, a payment, for that sin and it could either be my own death and eternity in Hell that paid the price or I could believe that Christ’s death paid for my sin and I would go to heaven at death.

So, I was saved from Hell by God’s grace as He gave me understanding of my sin and salvation according to His plan. Wow! I just had not known this. The church I went to as a child taught us to love our neighbors and do unto others as we would have them do unto us. I think that is probably what I taught to the junior high kids.

Now I feel like I should apologize to them. They are adults, all grown up members of society.  I have no idea where they are spiritually. If they know Jesus Christ as Savior then praise God for His work in them since I last saw them! If not, I pray they will soon.

My confessions are these:

1. I did not know the Lord myself. I could not introduce anyone to the One I did not know. (How did we get to the point that a church invites unbelievers to teach?)

2. I had never heard anyone preach on John 3:3, ‘Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”’ Jesus’ own words and I had not heard them preached. I thought born again Christians were just weird, cultish people. Some of us are weird, but not cultish and we love the Lord. I wish I had been one when I was teaching so students would see for themselves.

3. I did not think that sin was so bad. I did not see sin and sinners as anything God would hate. “I’m a good person” was my understanding. Because I did not see sin as a problem I only talked about it with regard to rules. I remember teaching “No gambling.” “No pre-marital sex.” “No lying”, etc.

4. I did not know or understand the gift of God’s Word. We worked with it in general but I failed to encourage students to store it in their hearts or to go to it for direction or clarification about how to think about any particular issue. I now know it speaks to every particular issue!

5. I did not fear God. Worst of all I did not understand judgment or blessings and curses. I did not teach or model a healthy and reverent fear of the One who will judge our sin, including every careless word that comes out of our mouths (Matthew 12:36).

I apparently wanted more “good people” like me.

Knowing the Truth now , so many questions arise for me.  Three important ones:

1.  Do the teachers assigned to teach your children know the Lord? Are you in a church where the Gospel of Jesus Christ, repentance, sin, salvation, and the Kingdom of God are preached? If not, move! Find one that does. They do not love if they do not care about the eternal souls of their people.  It’s not loving, kind, or nice to not teach about God’s judgment.

2. Are you and I willing to speak the truth of Jesus Christ boldly without hesitation? Every careless word of ours will be judged and other people need to know!

3. If you do not know Christ as your Savior, will you ask someone who does to tell you about Him?