What special qualifications will you need to teach God's way of life during the Millennium?
It's coming, and nothing can stop It! God's Kingdom — the government of God administered by the Family of God — is about to be set up on earth, at the return of Jesus Christ. Those who, throughout the ages, faithfully served God will be resurrected to immortal life. God's chosen servants of our time who have faithfully endured will be instantly changed into spirit-composed children of God (I Cor. 15:51-52). And what will we be doing in God's Kingdom? Revelation 5:10 tells us that we will become "kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth." Each of us will fulfill both the offices of king and priest. As kings we will, under Christ the King of kings, rule the world, enforcing God's law. And, just as ancient Israel's priests were to teach the nation God's way, we will as priests be responsible for teaching the knowledge of God's way of life to the entire world. You were born to teach!
Disseminating God's knowledge
God's government will be restored to the earth. Satan will be removed (Rev. 20:1-2). Man's carnal nature will be changed (Jer. 31:33). The give way will permeate life rather than the get way. Notice Isaiah 2:3: "Many people shall come and say, 'Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us of His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.' For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." As more and more people learn of and turn to God's way, "the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea" (Hab. 2:14). We will be responsible, as teachers, for filling the earth with the knowledge of God's way. Exactly what qualities will we need to be able to teach God's way in the world tomorrow? Whatever those qualities are, we need to be developing them now. And we can. We are constantly exposed to teaching opportunities with our mates, with our children, with our employees or fellow workers, with friends, with other people in the world. Here, then, are some of the most important qualities of good teachers, qualities we need to be practicing now in preparation for our responsibility of teaching the world during the Millennium.
Good teachers...
• Know their subjects. Unless you're an expert in the field, you wouldn't try to lecture on organic chemistry to a group of chemists. You'd look like a fool! By the same token, you can't teach God's way to someone unless you're an expert on the subject. During the Millennium, the subjects we'll be teaching will include God's law, God's way of thinking, giving and Bible knowledge. We'll need to know these subjects thoroughly (I Pet. 3:15). That's why Paul admonishes, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (II Tim. 2:15, AV). And a good teacher is always expanding his knowledge, learning more, keeping up with new developments in his field, in order to improve and maintain the effectiveness of his teaching. So Peter tells us to grow in grace and knowledge (II Pet. 3:18). We can do so by constantly studying the Bible, reading the Work's publications, listening closely to Pastor General Herbert W. Armstrong and God's other ministers and keeping up with news from headquarters, especially concerning new Bible understanding, which God is constantly giving. • Set good examples. Probably the strongest method of teaching is by example. Your children, employees and others will remember what you do long after they forget exactly what you say. God tells us to be lights to the world (Matt. 5:14-16). If you want to teach God's way most effectively, you must live it. In God's Kingdom we will live God's way perfectly. Ancient Israel's obedience to God was to extend to every area of their lives (Deut. 6:6-7). It is the same today with us, as we train to teach in the world tomorrow. The example we set of obedience to God must be constant, not just at Sabbath services or when we are with other Church members. Anything else is hypocrisy, and God will not have on His teaching team any who do not set the right example of living His way all the time (Rom. 2:21-23). • Use authority properly. The most effective teachers are dedicated foremost to helping their students learn, improve, prosper and enjoy happiness. They are not cruel, vain or vindictive. They do not relish having to rebuke. Think about how this point applies in your relationship with your children, friends or others you have the opportunity to teach now. Think about how it will apply in the world tomorrow. You will have power over the nations — you will rule with a rod of iron (Rev. 2:26-27). When you, as God, are able to exercise the power of a thousand hydrogen bombs at just a thought, you must control that power properly, in love, meekness, self-control, fear of God the Father and a single-minded desire to help and never hurt the humans under your authority. And you will — but only if you develop these character traits by practicing them in the areas where you have responsibility now. As Paul said, "Every man that striveth for the mastery [you are striving to become a master teacher in the subject of God's way] is temperate in all things" (I Cor. 9:25, AV). Good teachers are models of balance, self-control and moderation. • Communicate well. A major part of effective teaching is simply being able to communicate well the concepts you are trying to get across. This means that you speak in terms the one you are teaching will understand. You don't instruct a 4 year old in how to put his shoes away by speaking In algebraic symbols. You don't give a fellow employee an assignment by speaking in a language foreign to him. This, by extension, means that you are willing to explain again and again from different angles, as long as the person is sincerely trying to understand. This also means that, while you talk to the person, you do not talk down to him. You communicate in humility and warmth, putting yourself in the person's place and trying to understand his point of view. Jesus Christ, after all, can empathize with us in our trials because He literally put Himself in our place and knows what we go through (Heb. 2:18). Practice communicating better with everyone you talk to. Make yourself clear. Be direct, the way children are (Luke 18:15-17). Strive to give full understanding. That's what you'll be doing in the world tomorrow — giving humanity full understanding of God's — your — way of life. • Show outgoing concern. As one of God's teachers, you will express the give way of life perfectly. You'll be dedicated to helping, serving, caring for and providing opportunities for humanity. You'll perfectly display the fruits of God's Holy Spirit. But you must be developing those fruits now. In every teaching situation, practice them. Review I Corinthians 13, which deals with godly love. Make God's patience, kindness, faithfulness and unselfishness traits of your own character. Learn to be merciful (Luke 6:36). Be compassionate. When you are put in a position where you can really, finally help humanity — war-ravaged, poverty-stricken, trauma-ridden humanity — the humanity that for 6,000 years has been completely unaware of the right way to live — the humanity that has suffered the worst horrors in history during the Great Tribulation and Day of the Lord — the humanity that has no notion of what true charity, compassion and concern are — you will need to express God's perfect, healing, comforting, positive love — your love — with every ounce of your godly power.
A new order imminent
This world is without knowledge of God's way. The world has turned its back on God and steeped itself in a way of life that, if God didn't intervene, would destroy humanity. But God is going to intervene, and soon. When He does, He is going to offer mankind a completely different kind of knowledge — knowledge of how to live happily all the time, of how to be saved, of how to be born as God's children and live perfectly forever in God's very Family. That knowledge will permeate every corner of life (Hab. 2:14). You have been called to have a part in giving humanity this invaluable knowledge, as one of the teachers and rulers in the world tomorrow. What an incredible opportunity! What a goal to strive for! What could be more important than to truly begin to qualify for God's Kingdom right now?