We NEED THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD 23 NOV 2013

We NEED THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD: or An expose of the widespread preaching malpractice which is hurting both the church & the world at large. I went to a church whose congregation were all retired silver/grey headed folks; I, a guest, being the youngster & the exception. I had a chance to mingle & get to know folks…all the folks (all of them couples) I talked to had been Christians most of their lives, generally for more years than I had been alive. The sermon was on John 3:16…how to become a Christian…you know how the blood of Christ paid the penalty for our sins…I’m sure you’ve heard it. The salvation message is baby food—it is called baby food milk in the Bible. If you fed baby food to your child for their entire life, for 60 or 70 yrs., that would surely be considered child/adult abuse. Last night my post was rejected because my post didn’t have that baby food in it. The Christian said, “Got all the way to the end and not one single word about my Saviour, the blood of Christ, the cross or repentance, no thank you to the logic of men that does not point men to their Saviour!” This post is an expose of how the church & the world at large is being damaged because the church is stuck on giving out formula baby food, often not even nutritious, while people are starving for real teachings & frustrated because they don’t have the practical answers they need.

CHRIST: BOTH SAGE & SAVIOR. Yahshua was far more than just a savior. He was a wise sage. (More on his wisdom later.) Perhaps the greatest sermon in history, Yahshua’s Sermon on the Mount (recorded in MT 5,6, & 7) never mentions repentence, the cross, nor the blood of Christ. I imagine the shallow Christian who rejected me would have walked out on Christ also. And I wasn’t even trying to preach a sermon, just trying to give a few facts about myself for new online readers to orient them to where I’m coming from. Being shallow & judgmental does not inspire people, & the church needs to grow up to the full stature of what it can be. In his sermon Christ said such famous things as the Golden Rule, “do unto others as you would have them do to you”, and “Judge not that ye be not judged”, and “Blessed are the pure in heart”, and “Blessed are the Peacemakers”, and “Let your light so shine before men that they might see your good works.” Christ taught a lot from nature also, nature has so much to teach us, incl. science the study of nature. Later, when Christ left his disciples he gave them instructions (called the Great Commission). First thing to do was make disciples, second baptize them, & thirdly teach them everything (all) that Christ had taught. The modern church in general does not know what a disciple is (they make “decisions for Christ”—something totally different), and when it comes to teaching ALL they drop the ball.

What does the whole counsel of God teach?? A lot…there is a lot of wisdom (wisdom is the skill in figuring out life & then living it successfully—something we all want!!!) Specific wisdom books are Job, Ecclesiastes, Proverbs & the teachings of Yahshua. Two other wisdom books that did not get canonized but were used a lot are Ecclesiasticus & the Wisdom of Solomon. Studies show that preachers rarely preach on Biblical wisdom texts & rarely preach on Jesus’s wisdom words. They are not entirely to blame, because the seminaries seldom teach classes on Biblical wisdom books or Biblical wisdom in general.

Apostle Paul said, “For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.” ACTS 20:27 The context of this reveals even more…in v. 18 we see Paul identified w/ the common person, & spoke “in humility [brokenness], in tears [tenderness, grief, sympathy], in temptation [a man tested of temptation like us]”. No wonder people listened. When he said “I have delivered it in the right manner…” he was being honest. He said, “I ceased not to warn everyone night & day w/ tears.” ACTS 20:31. Wow, years of tears. Paul emphasized that, “I have kept back nothing that was profitable.” ACT 20:27.

Likewise, my standard has been to declare to you the full counsel of God, not ceasing to warn people with tears, & I have kept back NOTHING that was profitable. I will not be a broken record repeating John 3:16 all day. Don’t get me wrong, some people are called to be evangelists—but most are not, me incl. I do have a calling to give you everything that is profitable, just like Paul did. Paul gives instructions to the elders before he leaves: he tells them to sustain God’s people, and edify and feed them! (v.28) Think about what people need to be “sustained & edified”! Nothing about repentence or the blood of Christ; the Christian that rejected me would have walked out on Paul also. Paul loves the word edification (used 7 times in the COR letters), but he talks of repentance only twice 1 THS 1, & ROM 10. Why? Because Paul & the rest of the apostles were teaching disciples, & they were teaching history, ethics, family life, prophecy, as well as doctrines,… and the records show that people sat at their feet & soaked it all up. Christianity back then was called “The Way” because it was a spiritual journey & way of life, not a one-stop destination because you said a sinner’s prayer. Disciples saw themselves as pilgrims on a spiritual journey. Christ was called the “trailblazer” (ACTS 5:31) & “pioneer” (HEB 2:10). Christ was seen as a spiritual Daniel Boone, who showed us the way.

I have been saddened by so many souls who I have witnessed needlessly suffering because no one gave them edifying truth. Now my final thoughts, people frequently contact me begging for help, there are lots of hurting people out there, who need real answers. For years I have given what I could to help, & now I must simply trust in the goodness of God…what runs thru my head is “Abba, Shavateinu kabel ush’ma tza akateinu”—transl.=”Father, Accept our cries & hear our screams.” … Lord help me continue to give the full counsel of God, and continue to have mercy on us.