“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. ² In My Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. ⁴ And where I go you know, and the way you know. ⁵ Thomas said unto Him, Lord, we know not where You go; and how can we know the way? ⁶ Jesus said unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man comes unto the Father, but by Me.” John 14:1-6.

If we do not know the Word of God for ourselves, then we do not know The Way, The Truth and The Life…we do not know the Jesus of the Bible but merely what man has told us about Jesus of the Bible.

“And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:” Ephesians 4:11-12. 

The Lord has given us His five fold ministry for the perfecting of the Saints, not as a substitution for knowing His Word for ourselves.  If we don’t know the full counsel, rightly divided Word of God for ourselves, how do we know the God we worship is the God of the Bible?

“Preach the Word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.” 2 Timothy 4:2.

The seeker sensitive, psychology churches routinely preach and teach another Jesus.  They preach a gospel that does not allow reproving and rebuking.  To reprove or rebuke false doctrine is considered judgment of the person.  How are we to discern doctrine if we don’t know the Word of God for ourselves?   Are we to follow the false teacher into the ditch?  They are not God’s anointed you know.

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1.

You will know the false teachers by their fruit, by their followers.  Does the sin nature rule and reign in their fruit or the Divine Nature?  Many Believers are oppressed by the devil because of teachers teaching another way of deliverance other than faith in Jesus and His finished work.  The Holy Spirit is not commissioned to isolate the sin nature in a Believer whose faith is in their self efforts and self will for deliverance from their bondage, He is commissioned to deliver the captives who are looking to the works of the Lord Jesus Christ for their victory (Romans 8:2).

Do we know the Word of God for ourselves or do we know what man has told us about the Word of God?  The Lord has called His Ministers who preach and teach His Word and we should all be thankful to God for them.  They will always glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, they will lift Him up and allow the Holy Spirit to draw the sinners and the Saints closer to Him.

“For the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18.

Everyone should be studying to show ourselves approved, rightly dividing the Word of Truth (2 Timothy 2:15).  We should all be determined to know nothing among us except Jesus Christ and Him crucified (1 Cor. 2:2), pressing toward the mark for the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14).  These Scriptures are not only for the five fold ministry, they are for each and every Child of God.

-Donna Clark Warren