Should preachers teach only the easy parts of the Bible?

No. In Acts 20:17-38, the Apostle Paul charges the Ephesian elders to preach the whole counsel of God — not just the comfortable parts. In this study, Dr. Toby Holt explains why every truth of Scripture matters.

Meeting the Ephesian elders one last time, Paul reminded them how he had served them through tears and trials, holding nothing back. He warned that after he left, “savage wolves” would come — even from within the church — twisting the truth to draw people away. His answer was not less Bible, but all of it: the full counsel of God, faithfully taught. Dr. Holt notes that Paul speaks to a group of elders, not a single ruler, and that false teachers attack the same way the serpent did in Eden, with the whisper, “Has God really said?”

Questions this study answers:

1. What is the “whole counsel of God”? It is the entire message of Scripture — every doctrine, command, and warning, not only the popular parts. Paul says he held none of it back from the people.

2. Why did Paul warn about “wolves”? Because false teachers would rise up, even from within the church, twisting God’s Word to lead believers astray. Faithful elders must guard the flock by teaching the truth.

3. Why does Paul address “elders” rather than one leader? The church was led by a group of elders together, not a single ruler. Shared, accountable leadership helps protect the church from error.

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

Speaker: Dr. Toby Holt is the President of New Geneva Theological Seminary, a Reformed seminary in Colorado Springs. He is known for clear, down-to-earth Bible teaching, and his sermons have been downloaded more than 1.9 million times on SermonAudio.

Listen and go deeper: This sermon is part of the Acts Explained study from New Geneva Theological Seminary. Find more verse-by-verse teaching across the Bible at newgeneva.org. To support this teaching ministry, visit newgeneva.org/give.