Nuggets from "An Urgent Call to a Serious Faith" by Dave Hunt - All the Counsel of God | thebereancall.org

Dave Hunt

“I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you…. Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God” –Acts:20:20,26,27

By “profitable,” Paul did not mean monetarily advantageous but all that is necessary and helpful for a joyful, fruitful, and triumphant Christian life whenever and wherever lived. How encouraging, comforting, and inspiring it must have been to those early Christians to know that “all the counsel of God” was available to them! Surely this is exactly what we need in our time.

Logically, this declaration by Paul is a challenging rebuke of much that is called “Christianity” today. How could Paul have kept back nothing that was profitable and taught all the counsel of God, when he was ignorant of “Christian” psychology, 12-step programs, inner healing, visualization, positive confession, seed faith, the laughing revival, the binding of territorial spirits, and other inventions lately considered so vital? One can only conclude that these new teachings and practices are neither profitable nor part of God’s counsel.

Those who advocate teachings outside of God’s counsel can hardly complain that NAMBLA (North American Man-Boy Love Association), outspoken advocate of pedophilia, was formed in a church with a number of “Christian” leaders, both Protestant and Catholic, participating and voicing their approval of this perversion. Concerned conservatives call for a “return to traditional moral values.” Yes, but to what tradition and by what authority? By the mutual consent of decent society? How is that defined? We desperately need to heed the counsel of God.

What could be more thrilling than to have God himself as one’s personal Counselor and to be assured that the Bible contains all the counsel of God? That perfect counsel, of course, does not offer business success or instructions in repairing an engine, flying an airplane, or operating a computer. It teaches us, as spirit beings made in the image of God (Genesis:1:27; 9:6), living in physical bodies and redeemed by Christ’s blood (Galatians:3:13; 1 Peter:1:18-19; Revelation:5:9), to glorify Him in body and in spirit (1 Corinthians:6:20) here on this earth – and prepares us to be forever in His presence.