ARTICLE – 24 Apr 2016
“ but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ ” (Ephesians 4:15).
One of the more challenging situations that a Christian face is how to present a biblical answer to a person who is facing a challenging issue. As we struggle with such matters as marriage and divorce, church discipline, and the Person of Christ, we need to remember to speak the truth in love. The Apostle Paul’s admonition to the Christians in Ephesus in the verse quoted above provides the key to answering such questions that come up regularly in growing Churches. Paul himself had written a strong letter to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians) to admonish them of their multiple misbehaviour as practicing Christians. Although he was speaking (writing) the truth in love, he was anxious of how the Corinthian Church would take to his message of multiple admonitions (scoldings). Paul had sent his assistant Titus to check things out in the Corinthian Church. He was much comforted when Titus brought back the message that the Corinthians had sincerely repented and had turned back to Paul (2 Corinthians 7:7).
When you shares the good news of God’s salvation to another person, it is easy to share the benefits of this salvation available by faith in Jesus Christ. However, the message is incomplete without pointing to the other person that God also calls for him to give up his current way of life and to put God’s desires for his life first. For the good news part to work in the person’s life, the bad news part need to be done away with (2 Corinthians 5:17). Sadly the bad news part is the more difficult to share but share you must – speak the truth in love.
Love for the brethren and love for God should be a Christian’s attitude of life, even when we are pressed to make firm stands on difficult matters. Our speech can be direct and bold, with courage and conviction, even as we maintain the high moral behaviour expected in our Christian character. As we labour with fellow believers in the local Church, our attitude needs to be one of loving the truth and loving one another.
“Let the Word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father ” (Colossians 3:16, 17).
