No Blood On My Hands

March 25

Read: Acts 20, focus on 17-38

“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.” (v.26)

This is how the people of God are supposed to live: “innocent of the blood of all. for we do not shrink from declaring the whole counsel of God.” This is not always easy. It means hard conversations. It means being transparent. It means risking rejection. It may cost us precious time and money. To live this way - with no regrets and an empty list of those people you have left to forgive - is no small task. To declare the “whole counsel of God” is not easy either. If we are honest about it, there are parts of the Christian journey that are hard to talk about. Things like judgement, God’s sovereignty, evil in this world, sin, the devil / demons, heaven, hell, the new earth, and the resurrection are just a few topics that come to mind! It is not always easy to hold high the truth of God… but it IS always right and in the end good.

Paul understood this. This is why he declared he was “innocent”. This is his way of acknowledging that he has not held anything back! Are we holding back? Have we swept under the rug different truths from the Lord in an effort to stay more “politically correct” or “woke” in this current day and age? If all of our discussions are “easy”… then probably not. Another thing that Paul points out is that he has given the “whole counsel” of God. Why does he mention this? Because we like to focus on certain parts of who God is or what he is doing while glazing over other things less “fun”. We fixate on the things we like to hear, while ignoring the things we do not. We must love each other enough to give the “whole counsel”. We must seek the Lord and meditate on his word while listening to his Spirit enough to be aware of the “whole counsel”. What is at stake if we don’t?

Paul says, “I am innocent of the blood of all.” The implication is that if we shirk back, withhold, and do not declare the “whole counsel” that we are in fact “guilty of the blood” of others! What exactly does that even mean!?! I am not totally sure, but this is what I do know: it is serious, it matters, and to be guilty of someone else’s blood is not good! When we withhold and run away from resolving conflict with others… it brings destruction. When we shy away from speaking the hard truths… it leads to the “death” of others (we are “guilty of their blood”). When we play games and focus only on what we like to talk about… what serves US well… what we feel comfortable hearing… it is an assault to those around us. When we are ignorant of the Lord despite his having revealed to us many things through his Spirit, creation, the mind of Christ in us, and his word… we are guilty. (cf. Romans 1:18-23, 1 Cor. 2:6-16, 2 Tim 3:16)

Can you declare to those around you what Paul did to the Ephesian fathers? Can you say, “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.”? What does it look like to live this way? Who do you need to seek out and ask for forgiveness? Who do you need to boldly share your faith with? What topic in the scriptures do you need to spend time in prayer about and seeking to understand (meditate on)? What “comfortable” ideas have you latched on to while ignoring the rest? How are you sharing with your friends… your spouse… your kids… your employees? There is one more reason that this is so crucial: “the wolves”. Look at v.28-31, specifically 29: “I know that after my departure fierce WOLVES will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to DRAW AWAY the disciples after them.” The wolves will come to devour the flock… the people of God. Maybe this is how someone “blood” is on us. When we shy away from speaking the truth and living boldly the way God has called us we are handing over others to “the wolves” and the wolves will come. They come from within even more fiercely than form outside. May we never be guilty of handing someone over to “the wolves” to be devoured! Love you guys. - JDP