Last night in my discussion group we tackled the issue of the actual "need" of teachers, when in fact the word tells us that we know all things through the anointing of God. What we determined is that the statement, found in 1 John 2:27, is indeed true; that we do not have a need to be taught and that all knowledge is accessible through God directly. We are able to justify this conclusion by the basic understanding of our own salvation.
Given that we were all sinners, there is a time in most believer's lives that one could determine the exact moment where their life changed because of the acknowledgement of God. I use the term acknowledgement for a reason, because once we began to believe in God we realized that God had actually been there all along, even whilst we were sinning - his hand was still guiding us. In this light we can also determine that God gives us knowledge of all things, and as long as we are living according to his commands and continually seeking him first (as evidenced in the passages 1 John 2:1-26), there is no need for anyone else to have to teach us what we already know.
However, we obviously do need teachers in our lives, and we are continually leaning on other people in order to help us along. If God gives us knowledge of all things, then why do we NOT know everything, and why doesn't God just come out and say "here I am" instead of us having to find him through salvation.
The answer is simple:
We are human.
We are built as these complex beings with emotions that cannot be explained. The truth is that we do struggle and we do fall, time and time again, and in our own confusion we lose sight of the God that has always been there for us in the past.
The truth is that the best way our God can show his love and mercy is through his people. This is why there is so much suffering in the world, because it gives God the opportunity to shine on these moments through the work of his servants, who are called to bring the Kingdom of Heaven crashing down to earth, just as Jesus did, through the action of Love.
In the same way, though we have the promise of wisdom that can only come from God, we are still very much human and at times can become lost in our own struggles. Instead of speaking to us directly in those situations he puts other people in our lives to help us, guide us, build each other up, and to teach us. We need that. We need others to help us reveal things and to show us what we are seating for, because if we don't know what we're looking for then we won't know how to go about looking in the first place. because how else do we experience the Love of God if not through other people.
What some fail to realize is that these teachers, pastors, prophets, friends, and whoever else may be feeding into you, can only being you so far. In the end it's through our own ACKNOWLEDGEMENT and understanding that helps us to confirm what we already knew all along. In the end it's between you and God. God can show you the truth.
The truth shall set you free.
Mattias is an actor, writer, filmmaker, and editor currently living in Los Angeles, CA. He often writes about his observations about life, the human condition, spirituality, and relationships. He also enjoys writing about movies, pop culture, formula one, and current events. Often these writings are 'initial thoughts' and un-edited, as authentic as possible, and should be considered opinions. If you're interested in commenting on his work, or continuing the conversation, you should consider following him on Twitter or share an article on social media, where he would love to engage even further. Consider subscribing via RSS for more.