Leadership in Context with Keith Tucci
Episode 030
Practical Righteousness
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
When you see a list in Scripture, it’s important to take time to see that God is expanding on something. In 2 Timothy, instead of using just one word or phrase, there are three distinct words used to give a differentiation and expansion on what we understand the preaching ministry should encompass. These three words are key as we lead and disciple people and impact our culture.
1. Teaching
2. Reproof
3. Correction
We need an infusion of righteousness into the body of Christ.This will come through teaching, reproof, and correction.
Reproof
This is the strongest of these words (that’s why I wanted to start with it). In the King James version, the word is “rebuke.” This means to reprimand someone. It carries the connotation of exposing something. Pulling the blanket off something. Bringing something to light. To convict someone. To bring evidence against them. This would be a challenging message.
Romans 10:17 Faith comes by hearing, hearing by the Word of God.
One of the reasons we don’t see heart-felt conviction and repentance of sin among believers is that there is very little Word out there. Where there is no Word, there is no faith.We need to preach the Word, not legalism or our opinion, but preach what God’s Word says about things.
Part of preaching the gospel is identifying sin. We do this so people can be set free.
Example: Many churches are pro-life, and they make pro-life statements. But in most cases, there has never been a theological discourse from the pulpit saying what abortion is and really bringing reproof to it. It is wrong. It is evil. It is murder. That is what the Bible calls it. That is what we need to call it.
Side note: Do not say anything from the pulpit aimed at a person that you are not willing to talk to them about in private. Never preach a sermon aimed at one person, when really what they need is a personal meeting with you.
Correction
This word means to make straight, to stand true. It has the connotation of dropping a plumb line. To make something clear.
This word seems to indicate that there is a preemptive action. If you are driving down the road and you see a pothole, you take preemptive action and avoid it.
Example: There are doctrines in the church that we see, like the hyper-grace movement. We should take preemptive action. Teach what the Bible really says about grace. Before something hits our church body, we teach about it from the Scripture.
To Teach
Simply this means to give information. But not only to give out information, but to describe a process. It’s not telling people about salvation; it’s telling them how to get saved. It’s not teaching about discipleship. It’s showing how you are doing discipleship and how people can get plugged into discipleship. It’s not teaching about prayer. It’s having a prayer meeting and demonstrating it.
Teaching does not just mean auditory teaching. It means to demonstrate. To engrave the mind. Hands-on training. Take someone and show them how you do it. You are teaching, and you are giving substance and examples to that teaching.
Recap
We want to teachpeople, which is edifying and encouraging. We want to bring prophetic correction, which makes sure people are staying in the doctrine of the Word of God. We want to bring reproof, whether to our people or things in the world (e.g., the disobedience to God’s Word that we see in our culture).
The Bottom Line
We have to model, by our preaching, that God’s Word is the absolute authority. If we do not do this, it is going to be very hard to flow in any kind of authority, and God’s Word is going to be treated like anyone else’s opinion. That is a culture, and we can change that culture by being steadfast (not rigid or legalistic), clear, and using all three of these elements in preaching the Word.
Join us next week as Keith Tucci continues to put leadership truth in the context of the local church. And as always, please like, share, rate/review, and invite others to listen. See you next week!
