Speaking the Truth in Love

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, who is the head, even Christ; Ephesians 4.15

If you love--you will speak the truth "Well, I don't want to hurt their feelings." Then you don't love. God's love is not a "senses" kind of love. It is the fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5.22) "If I tell the truth they will never be my friend again." Then you don't love them. A true friend loveth at all times (Proverbs 17.17) and lays down their life for their friends if necessary. Jesus said, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15.13

If you really love someone--you want God's best for them. You want them to grow up into Christ in all things. In Revelation 3.19 Jesus states, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous therefore and repent."

The truth is never to be separated from love. Jesus is both. He is the truth (John 14.6) and He is God. God is love. (I John 4. 8,16) Ephesians 3.18 says, "And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God." Love is kind, but it also goes with speaking the truth. I Corinthians 13.1 says that you can speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not love--you are just being noisy--of no help to anyone--you are just causing confusion (an uncertain sound) in a situation and confusion is not of God.

Speaking the truth in love requires boldness. The boldness to ignore all opposition, to ignore your feelings, to ignore threats, to ignore the thought of rejection or reviling. I John 4.17-18 states, "Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." You don't love a person if you're afraid to tell them the truth.

What is truth?

What the Bible says about any situation. The truth is not what you perceive or think--Truth is about Jesus and what the Bible says about everything.