2 Timothy 2:1-2

My mother believed in chores. As a seven-year-old, it was my responsibility to take out the trash each day. More on this later.

Paul gave Timothy a responsibility, and it was a seriously important one. It was Timothy’s responsibility to teach someone the things he had been taught. Sharing the gospel is what we do when we witness to a nonbeliever, but disciplining is what we do when we teach what we know to another believer. Timothy’s responsibility was not only to teach someone, but it was also to choose the person he would teach. That person had to be capable of both learning what Timothy was teaching, and also passing on that knowledge to someone else.

As Christians, we all have a responsibility to share the gospel. However that is not the same as having a responsibility to teach truth and theology. Teaching teachers to teach is the work of teachers who have been taught. Timothy was just such a person.

However, it raises an interesting question for all of us as Christians, “How much knowledge do we have to have before we have a responsibility to share it with someone else?” It is easy to understand why we do not expect babes in Christ to be disciplining; someone who has not yet been fully discipled is not qualified to fully disciple another. However, just because we do not have the ability to teach everything does not mean we do not have the ability to teach some things. Each individual Christian, with the help of the Holy Spirit, will have to determine for themselves, who they are responsible to teach, and what they’re responsible to teach them.

One day I forgot to take out the trash, and my mom made me do it after dark. My grandfather snuck out the back door and gave me a fright. I never forgot to take out the trash again. Christians do not disciple and witness out of fear; we witness and teach because we are responsible.