My dear readers,

1.  The Bible says that if Sunday School teachers teach the wrong doctrine, it would be better "to hang a millstone around their neck..."  Therefore:  a) who should be the one to choose or decide who is a good candidate to be a Sunday school teacher?  b) is there any criteria from the Bible that we should use for assessing candidates for Sunday School teachers (for example, we always use 1 Tim 3 as a criterion in choosing deacons/elders/pastors, so what can we use for teachers)?

Matthew 18:2-6 “And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. 6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” The little child needs the gospel the most in his life. Meat doctrines are beyond the child’s ability. Little children obey without question at this age.

The first reason for this injunction from Christ is that little children tend to believe everything they are taught. They have not grown old enough, i.e., the age of accountability, to be able to distinguish right from wrong. When they are taught errors, they will believe and obey. They sin against God because they are taught wrongly.

The second reason is that these little children believe without question that all who enter heaven are to be like them. Every believer who enters heaven believes the gospel of Christ without question and doubt. These little children are at the best years of their lives to become Christians. If a teacher comes along and teaches them errors and about a false Christ, can you imagine how damaging it will be to little children? The only name under heaven that can save a soul out of hell and into heaven is the name of Jesus Christ! Older children as well as adults are expected to evaluate all truths and test every spirit before accepting them as true. Both the teachers and older children are accountable to God for what they teach and what they believe, respectively.

God knows best how important it is to teach little children God's Word. All believers are blessed with spiritual gifts to serve the Lord, including the spiritual gifts of teaching and preaching the Word of God. Ephesians 4:11-14 “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.” Of all the spiritual gifts, the above spiritual gifts are directly related to God’s Word. Their primary purpose is for the perfecting of the saints, i.e. to help Christians grow in grace and in the knowledge of God, that will conform them more and more to the image of Christ as they serve and live for Him. This means that God will gift spiritual gifts to His children to teach little children. If these Christians who have the spiritual gifts to teach little children do not use their spiritual gifts, they will be miserable since they know they are living in disobedience to God's will in their lives. The best people to evaluate whoever possesses this spiritual gift are those who have the same spiritual gift.

Furthermore, all spiritual gifts are for the blessing of others; therefore, those who are taught will be blessed. Parents will see the biblical transformation in their children’s lives because they have been taught God’s Word correctly. God has worked in their lives through the power of the Holy Spirit, who takes only God's Word, taught correctly, to convict and convert lives.

The qualifications of elders, deacons and deaconesses in 1Timothy 3:1-13 are for a higher office to care for God’s church, whereas teaching children is a specific ministry of service. 1Timothy 3:1-13 describe the Christian characters of believers who may not have the spiritual gift of teaching children but qualify to take care of the church. All believers should grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ to be mature, as described in 1Timothy 3:1-13. But spiritual gifts are to be discovered in every believer as they are spiritual gifts given by God. Once believers recognise what their spiritual gifts are, they are to develop and use them for the blessing of others and God's glory.

2.  Is my spiritual gift still considered a spiritual gift if I have no interest in it and don’t enjoy it? For instance, I am good at playing the piano, but I don’t enjoy playing it. How, then, do I determine my spiritual gift to serve the Lord and be a blessing to others?

At least one spiritual gift is given to all believers as revealed in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant ...  4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another … 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.”

Believers do not pray for or choose what spiritual gift they receive from God. It is decided for them by God through the working of the indwelling Holy Spirit. All born in this world are endowed with talents to live in this world. God determines the talent or talents we receive. Talents are for life on earth, whereas spiritual gifts are for the spiritual well-being and blessing of others (i.e., to profit withal, verse 7). The Holy Spirit helps believers utilise their spiritual gifts by filling them, and then blesses the recipients with spiritual blessings, strengthening their faith in the process.

When a person lacks the desire to utilise the spiritual gift given to him by God for the benefit of others, it is usually due to a spiritual issue, or it could be that the Lord has taken away that gift. When a believer is living in sin, their spiritual life is in a state of stagnation. He is lacklustre. The joy of the Lord departs from his life. The Lord will not hear his prayer and grant him help when he prays for the Holy Spirit to fill him and enable him to use his spiritual gift, until he repents. Psalm 66:18-20 “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: 19 But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. 20 Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.” After repentance, the joy of the Lord will return. Serving the Lord with joy is a clear evidence of the abundant life Christ promised all believers.

The Lord can take away a spiritual gift when the Lord wants His servant to serve elsewhere.  For example, he has been serving in the choir for twenty years. However, with age, he is unable to withstand the stress and strain of practice, and his voice may not be as strong. As a result, he may consider stopping to serve in the choir and instead serving in another area.

As mentioned, there is a difference between a talent and a spiritual gift. God gives the former to live in this world. The spiritual gift is for the spiritual realm. For example, a believer who is a concert pianist may be a star in his own right, and the world may accord him high praise for his playing skills; however, he may not possess the spiritual gift of playing the piano. When he plays the piano at a concert, he plays to draw attention to himself. A believer with the spiritual gift of playing the piano for God in worship will play to draw attention to Christ.

There may be similarities in talents and spiritual gifts, but the differences between them are stark and sometimes vast. Another example: a teacher has won many awards as best teacher in his school. But he may not have the spiritual gift of teaching in Sunday School. Teaching the books of man is of the flesh, where believers and unbelievers with talent can do it. Whereas teaching God’s Word requires not only the spiritual gift but also the help of the Holy Spirit to bring conviction and conversion.

Believers with certain spiritual gifts will be the best help to recognise fellow believers with the same gifts. Also, when the spiritual gift is used, the people on the receiving end will be blessed. God has blessed some teachers with a good tone, a dynamic personality and the ability to understand God’s Word and to teach it clearly and simply. The students will pay close attention to every word. They do not want the teacher to stop teaching even after one hour has passed. The Holy Spirit is at work all the time when God's servants serve. God equips all His children with spiritual gifts so that the Holy Spirit can help them be God’s instrument for His work and make them a blessing to others.

Yours faithfully in the Saviour’s Service

Rev Dr Quek Suan Yew, Pastor