You Need No Man to Teach You…

(1 John 2:27) KJV

The devil’s Biggest Lie!

One of the most arrogant and unlearned notions to ever disgrace the lips of a so-called Christian is the unbiblically stated idea that, “I don’t need anyone to teach me”. This lie is often advanced by so-called “Black Hebrew Israelites” as well as unlearned and arrogant church folks.

Jesus himself had teachers; Paul had teachers; in fact, all the apostles were teachers.  The book of Hebrews says the Holy Ghost gave us teachers and made us teachers of others. God has given people the gift of teaching, so that we can… teach!

So, what in the New Testament scriptures makes some believe that they can be their own teachers and in effect become pastors of their own selves?  

This fallacy is the result of a misreading and misunderstanding of the King James version of 1 John 2:27. In this chapter, John is continuing his warning to the saints against false teachers and those who deny that Jesus came in the flesh, that He is the true Messiah, and that the Spirit of Christ will always lead us into truth. In verse 27 he says this:

But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any

man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

1 John 2:27 (KJV)

When I teach the ministers that I pastor, I drill certain points into their heads constantly, namely this:

“The first major error of most Bible readers is to extract [ONE] verse from the Bible
and build a belief on it.”

Reading 1 John 2:27 out of context and believing that you don’t need a [Bible] teacher is a prime example of that statement and the primary reason some get fooled into thinking they can be their own teachers.

1 John, chapter 2 is about the Spirit of God leading us into the truth of holy living when false teachers arise to pervert us with bad doctrinal instruction. The devil wants us to disregard God’s spoken / taught word so that just like in the Garden of Eden he himself can become our teacher.

John was not telling the saints that they didn’t need a [human] teacher.  He is simply saying, you don’t need false (human) teachers to re-teach you how to live for God when you have the Spirit dwelling inside of you leading, guiding, teaching, and continuing to teach you how to walk in the spirit and live for God.

His message was concerning false teachers who denied that Jesus Christ was the Messiah.  These ungodly pedagogues were teaching the saints that they could overcome sin, be saved, be delivered, be set free and become sons of God by means other than through Jesus. This is the reason John told them in chapter 4, “believe not every spirit”.  

1 John 4:1 (KJV)

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

The word “spirit” in the text refers to visible human teachers inspired by invisible, ungodly spirits.  John is teaching his audience that there are a few things that they need to check in order to make sure a teacher is of God:

1.     The teacher needs to confess that Jesus is the Messiah sent from God.

2.      The teacher’s message should agree with what they have already been taught by the apostles.

3.     If the teacher’s lifestyle is corruptible, they are false teachers.

4.     You will know them (false teachers) by their fruit.

5.     They will try to sneakily teach you to be anti (against) the message of Christ and His saving grace.

6.     They think you don’t know the Word and they want you to rely on them to teach you the way.

7.     Because of the Spirit of God dwelling in you, you don’t need these types of men to teach you. 

Rather than extract one verse and build a [false] belief on it, I admonish pastors, ministers, and Bible lovers to read the entire chapter. When reading in context John was not saying that we don’t need anyone to teach us, he was saying that we don’t need false teachers to try to build upon what the Spirit has already shown.

He was also assuring his audience that if they get confused or when they are tempted by these seducing spirits the Holy Ghost will teach / lead them into what’s right, what’s wrong and what teachings to abide in.

The latter clause of verse 27 reads, “the same anointing teacheth you of all things”.

Please note that he said the Spirit of God teaches us “of all things” not ALL things. The Spirit teaches us in the sense of inspiration or “All things necessary to live a saved life".  He will lead us in every area of living a life pleasing to God, especially in our most critical moments of temptation.

Here’s a summary of the passage. You will immediately notice that the entire message is about continuing to live holy in the face of false teachers bearing messages that are against (anti) Christ. It’s not about Bible study or whether you need a human Bible teacher.

1 John 2:18-29

Warning about Antichrists

18 Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, and

already many such antichrists have appeared. From this we know that the last hour has come.

 19 These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise, they

would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us.

20 But you are not like that, for the Holy One has given you his Spirit,[a] and all of you know

the truth. 

21 So I am writing to you not because you don’t know the truth but because you know the difference between truth and lies. 22 And who is a liar? Anyone who says that Jesus is not

the Christ.[b] Anyone who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist.[c] 

23 Anyone who denies the Son doesn’t have the Father, either. But anyone who acknowledges

 the Son has the Father also.

24 So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do,

you will remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father. 25 And in this fellowship we

enjoy the eternal life he promised us.

26 I am writing these things to warn you about those who want to lead you astray.

27 But you have received the Holy Spirit,[d] and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone

 to teach you what is true. For the Spirit[e] teaches you everything you need to know, and what

he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.

Living as Children of God

28 And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you
will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame.

29 Since we know that Christ is righteous, we also know that all who do what is right are
 God’s children.

NLT

Don’t be deceived!  Everybody needs a teacher.