Teacher and Disciple

W. Carl Ketcherside

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     We are disciples of Christ. He is our teacher. This state of things can never be reversed. We cannot teach him; we can only learn from him. Nor do we ever arrive at the place where we know it all. There are no graduates from his school. We never cease to be disciples while on this earth. We are also servants. He is our master. This relationship must ever be sustained. We can never arrive at the place where we tell him what to do, or tell him what we prefer to do. "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master" (Matt. 10: 24).

     Because we are all disciples and servants we should share with each other.

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We are all frail, fallible, and liable to err. No one of us is immune to mistakes. With an eagerness to know the truth, we earnestly solicit your analysis and criticism of the views we express. We urge you to write and point out where you think we are in error. We read carefully, prayerfully and studiously every letter or article of disagreement. We prefer that you write in love, free from rancor and the party spirit. But if you cannot so write, and if your criticisms must be submitted even in a spirit of hatred, send them to us, and with love for you, we shall endeavor to separate what you say from the spirit in which you convey it. We are interested in and concerned about principles, and we are not so vain as to reason that only those friendly to ourselves have correct principles.

     It is not necessary that you agree with us to be loved and respected by us. Our heart reaches out to embrace many who do not see all things as we do, but who love the same Jesus we try to serve. It is dangerous for any fallible man to set up his reasoning as a criterion by which to judge the worthiness of any of his fellows. We do not stand or fall to our fellow slaves. "To his own master he standeth or falleth." But since we are disciples, you may help us to learn, and since we are servants you may help us to serve. Feel free to question, to doubt, to disagree with, and to censure what we write. You may be right, and if so, we wish to know it. There is nothing to be gained by continuing in error when one can learn better. While all of us sit at the feet of the same great teacher let us share what we glean from a study of his words.