“Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.” – Acts 20:26-27
As Paul considered his uncertain future and said farewell to his beloved friends in Ephesus, he reminds us of the great weight of responsibility that every follower of Christ bears toward other people. We who know the truth of the Gospel and enjoy the blessings of Christ in us have a responsibility to share the full Gospel (not just the popular parts) with others.
Along with the great blessings of God’s grace, we’re called to share the bad news of human sin and the good news of God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We’re responsible for proclaiming the sacrificial death and victorious resurrection of Christ to those we encounter. We’re equipped to share what we have learned of Scripture (and perhaps more importantly, our love of Scripture) to others, that our faith may continue to spread through the rising generations.
This responsibility isn’t meant to frighten us (perfect love casts out fear), but should motivate us to stay focused on the work of God’s Kingdom every day of our lives. There are people In our lives we need to reach and people in our lives we need to teach. There are people we need to encourage and people we need to admonish. We all have a role to play in making disciples and there is accountability for failure to play that role, just as there is reward for faithful service. Let us boldly declare the whole counsel of God!