As shepherds over the souls of our congregations, spiritual leaders are responsible for how we think. This means that when preaching the gospel, God holds us accountable for digging into it and developing a deep understanding of His Word so that we believe what we are teaching. God’s plan for mankind is bursting with love, mercy, and grace. This plan was ready before the foundation of the world, but was so big that He had to reveal it gradually; studying the Old and New Testaments gives us little bits and pieces at a time. God’s will is for us to accurately interpret the Bible in light of Jesus’ finished works. Although the law has ended, the Old Testament is still vital to us as believers because everything in it points to Jesus. God does not want His will for us to remain a mystery; knowing how to properly divide His Word while preaching it allows us to mature the saints.