The concept of ‘Sharing the full counsel of God’ is not just a phrase, but a crucial approach to understanding and communicating His message. It’s about presenting the entirety of God’s message as revealed in the Bible, without cherry-picking or selectively emphasizing certain parts. This approach, often used in Christian contexts, emphasizes the importance of conveying biblical teachings, including both comforting and challenging passages, rather than focusing solely on popular or readily accepted views.
Teaching the Whole Bible:
Sharing the full counsel of God means not just focusing on popular or well-known passages but also delving into less familiar parts of the Bible. It includes teachings from both the Old and New Testaments, covering various genres such as narrative, poetry, prophecy, and epistles. It involves understanding the overarching narrative of Scripture, from creation to redemption, and how each part fits into that narrative.
Balanced Teaching:
Balancing teaching involves addressing the comforting and challenging aspects of the Christian faith. We proclaim God’s love, mercy, and forgiveness, but we also need to discuss themes such as sin, repentance, and judgment. It’s about presenting the full spectrum of God’s character, acknowledging His grace and Holiness.
Understanding the Bible in Context:
To effectively share God’s full counsel, it’s crucial to understand the Bible’s historical, cultural, and literary context. This ensures accurate interpretation and application of its teachings. Contextual understanding helps avoid misinterpretation and cherry-picking of verses. It helps us grasp the authors, such as Moses, Isaiah, and Jeremiah, from the Old Testament and the New Testament: Matthew, the Epistles of Paul, and John, just to name a few. We need to understand their original intent and apply their teachings appropriately today.
Doctrinal Integrity:
Teaching with integrity involves presenting the foundational doctrines of the Christian faith in a comprehensive and accurate manner. It includes beliefs about the nature of God (Trinity), the person and work of Jesus Christ (incarnation, atonement, resurrection), the role of the Holy Spirit, the authority of Scripture, salvation by grace through faith, and the future hope of believers. Sharing the full counsel of God means upholding these doctrines without compromising their integrity, providing a solid foundation for our faith.
Ethical and Moral Teachings:
The Bible provides guidance on how believers should live ethically and morally. Sharing the full counsel of God includes teaching these principles and applying them to daily life. This involves discussing topics such as love, justice, honesty, integrity, compassion, forgiveness, and stewardship. It also entails addressing contemporary issues through the lens of biblical principles, helping believers navigate moral dilemmas and make ethical decisions.
Sharing the full counsel of God means presenting a comprehensive understanding of His message as revealed in the Bible. It involves teaching the entirety of Scripture, balancing its comforting and challenging aspects, understanding its context, upholding doctrinal integrity, and applying its ethical and moral teachings to everyday life. Sharing the full counsel of God means comprehensively understanding and teaching the breadth and depth of biblical truths, encompassing all of its aspects—comforting and challenging, doctrinal and ethical—in a way that covers the entirety of God’s message and its application to your life.
An Example of sharing the Full Counsel of God:
Sharing the full counsel of God regarding forgiveness means not only emphasizing God’s forgiveness and love but also addresses the challenging aspects, such as the need for repentance and reconciliation. It involves understanding forgiveness within the broader context of biblical teachings, including passages that speak about justice, mercy, and the consequences of sin.
When we talk to others about God’s forgiveness, we need to highlight how He freely offers forgiveness to anyone who turns to Him, trusts Him, and believes in His Son Jesus—Yeshua.
Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Understanding repentance: Teaching that true forgiveness involves acknowledging sin, turning away from sin by changing your mind about sin and embracing your relationship with Jesus-Yeshua. Seeking reconciliation with Heavenly Father through our belief in His Son and drawing from the following passages…
Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Addressing reconciliation: We need to discuss the Scriptures that emphasize the importance of seeking reconciliation with others. Read the following Scriptures…
Matthew 5:23-24 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Matthew 18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
Recognizing the challenge of forgiveness: Acknowledging that forgiveness can be difficult and may involve letting go of hurt and bitterness, but highlighting the freedom and healing that come through forgiveness, as seen in passages like…
Colossians 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Matthew 6:14-15 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Applying forgiveness in everyday life: Offering practical guidance on how to forgive others and oneself, underscoring the profound and transformative power of forgiveness in relationships and personal growth. Drawing from the life of Jesus and teachings like…
Luke 17:3-4 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. 4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
Matthew 18:21-22 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Sharing the full counsel of our Heavenly Father on forgiveness means teaching not only about God’s forgiveness but also about the deeper implications and applications of forgiveness in our lives. Addressing both the comforting and challenging aspects within the broader context of biblical principles and forgiveness is what I’m highlighting today; we need to humble ourselves both to our Father and to all those around us. Without forgiveness of our sins, we would be dead in our sins. So, with each passing moment of our lives, we need to learn to forgive others as we are forgiven.
Jesus-Yeshua taught us to pray
Matthew 6:9-13 9 After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
Please come back soon…I’ll be highlighting another example of the “Full Counsel of God”
God means what He says and says what He means! My hermeneutics are “literal.” Take the initiative to study the scriptures yourself and make your own decisions! Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus ~ Amazing Grace! 
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