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Spiritual Maturity

The Reliability of God, Part 1

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I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.  Psalm 16:7 (NIV)

As I entered the therapist’s office, I was immediately made aware of their qualifications as evidenced by the numerous degrees, certifications, and achievements displayed on the wall.  This is very typical of professionals as they attempt to elicit our confidence in their abilities.  I see the same thing when I walk into the offices of clergy and church laity.

The belief that the “buyer should beware” extends not only to products and services, but unfortunately to matters of faith.  Can God be trusted?  Does God really mean what He says in His Word?  Therefore it may be helpful at this point in the series to explore the reliability of God’s counsel, especially for those who might question its dependability.

Last week we defined the whole counsel of God as God’s truth revealed in His purpose and His will.  God communicates His whole counsel in two key ways—the Bible and through His Holy Spirit.   To understand the counsel of God, it is important to first understand who God is?

Who is God?

This is the bedrock on which our spiritual confidence is built.  Who is God?  God is the “source” of all knowledge and the “power” behind the eternal plan for all Creation.  The veracity of God’s counsel is based on its source and that source is God Himself.   We will spend more time discussing this in, “The Reliability of God’s Counsel”, Part 2.

The biblical phrase, “before the foundation of the world” was chosen through inspiration of the Holy Spirit to highlight the eternal wisdom and knowledge of God as He created His plan of salvation, healing, deliverance, and redemption for mankind.  God ordained His purpose according to His good pleasure” (Eph. 1:5).

Who is God to Me?

The reliability of the counsel of God is built, not only on who God is, but more importantly on who God is to me personally. It would be difficult, if not impossible, to receive advice and instruction from someone who is neither trustworthy nor “safe.”  Trust and reliability are often built through relationship.

In our text today, David’s personal fellowship with the Lord was his greatest reason to trust God’s counsel.  David had experienced God’s instruction and advice throughout his life beginning as a shepherd boy in the fields of Bethlehem, through his strained relationship with Saul (1 Sam. 18:9) to his ultimate kingship over nation of Israel (2 Sam. 5:4).  God was always there to advise David on what to do and how to do it.   Because of that David praised or “blessed” the Lord.

David’s “reins” (heart, NIV)—the seat of his emotion and affection—were further instructed by God in the night seasons.  “Instruct” carries with it the idea of discipline and chastening (Heb. 12:1-12).  “Night” is plural and suggests “dark nights” or “night after night” learning from God.  God’s counsel, day or night, in the good or bad times, had always proven a trustworthy guide for David, one deserving all his confident.

Is God’s Counsel Reliable?

Paul warned Timothy, his young minister-in-training, of the coming apostasy—the abandonment of religious belief.  He advised Timothy to teach the whole counsel of God, in this case, the scriptures,  that are “profitable” (useful, NRS)  for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness  so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

Paul closed his teaching with the foretelling of a time when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having “itching ears”.  They will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths (2 Tim. 4:3-4).  Does that sound like the world we are living in today?

We, as believer in Christ, can trust in the reliability of God’s counsel because of who God is and because of our relationship with Him.  The whole counsel of God is the only dependable counsel for 21st century living.

Also Read:  Postmodernism 101

Spiritual Maturity

The Whole Counsel of God: What is it?

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For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.  Acts 20:27  (NKJ)

One of the things this nation is not short on is advice.  If you turn on the television, every station has its personal brand of advice—The Real, The Talk, The View.  And let’s not forget social media.

Life and spiritual coaches have been added to the deluge of resources ready to “create a better life for you”.  Online counseling by Chat, Video or Phone.  Get Help and Get Happy.  Therapy Anytime, Anywhere.   Each of these resources and programs are targeting different groups of viewers—boomers, millennials, Xers to influence their thoughts and actions.  And the real question is influence for what?

If ever there was a need for reliable counsel, it is now!

Definition of Counsel

The noun “counsel” means advice, especially that given formally.  Counsel is synonymous with guidance, direction and instruction.  The Hebrew word that best communicates the concept of counsel is ‘esah, which adds purpose or plan to the definition.   It is both used of God’s counsel and of human counsel.

Counsel Given—Counsel Received  

The Old Testament portrays counsel as that which is usually given to kings (1 Chron. 13:1).  Counsel may have come from trusted advisors but more frequently through God’s prophets (Deut. 18:14-21).

Proverbs suggests that one should seek counsel from many with the thought that human beings are limited and need contributors to be sure all alternatives are considered (Prov. 11:14;  Prov. 20:18).

In the New Testament, especially in the church, though they were a close-knit fellowship, involved in one another’s lives, there is almost nothing about counsel or acting on the advice of others.  The closest thing to “counsel” would have been that given to the early churches via apostolic letters.

Regardless of the counsel received, no advice or counsel frees the person’s responsibility for making his or her own choice. Such was the case in our text as Paul gives instructions to the Ephesian elders.

What constitutes “the whole” ?

What is the “whole counsel of God”?  If you search different Bible versions for clarity, you may still be left asking, “What is it?”  In our text, the different Bible versions read, “the whole counsel of God” (ESV) or “the whole will of God” (NIV) or “the whole purpose of God” (NASB).

The phrase the whole counsel of God was introduced by Paul in Acts 20:27 in his farewell speech to the elders of the Ephesian church.  In this context, the whole counsel of God refers to the “gospel message”.

Paul spoke the complete gospel—the whole truth about God’s salvation including the “mystery” of God extending His plan of salvation to Gentiles as well as Jews (Ep. 3:9).  Paul’s declaration of the “whole counsel of God” made him “innocent” of anyone’s decision to reject God’s truth as revealed, at that time.

The whole counsel of God, in summary, is God’s truth revealed in His purpose and His will.  God communicates His whole counsel in two key ways—the Bible and the Holy Spirit.

Paul witnessed to the fact that, “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16, NRS).   The Bible is the “play book” which helps believers live in alignment with God’s will and in right relationship with one another.

Through the ministry of the Holy Spirit believers relate God’s truth to present situations—guiding them in actions they are to take.   Although the Spirit may use any number of avenues to help believers sense His direction, He ultimately guides us to decisions that are in harmony with what God purposes for us (Jer. 10:23).

Living in 21st century, postmodern America, it is critical that we have access to good counsel.  We need counsel that is sure and dependable; trustworthy and timeless.  We need counsel to help us live out of the heart God created for us.  We need the whole counsel of God.

We will continue next week with this series, “The Whole Counsel of God.”