Embrace ‘the whole counsel of God’

More than a hundred years ago, William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, spoke prophetically when he said, ‘The chief dangers which confront the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, heaven without hell.’ That’s as true now as it was then. Paul exhorted the leaders of the Ephesian church to declare, ‘The whole counsel of God.’ He said: ‘Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears’ (vv. 28-31 NKJV). On the eve of his execution, Paul passed the baton to his successor Timothy with these words: ‘Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine…they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables…be watchful…fulfil your ministry’ (2 Timothy 4:2-5 NKJV).