Speaking the Truth in Love
Oddly enough, many of my one-on-one impromptu Bible studies are now occuring at about 4AM. One recent one with Brad was a lot of fun. It was so impromtu that we didn't even have Bibles with us but we were able to interact on what we could remember. We were discussing "speaking the truth in love" in Ephesians 4:15. Brad mentioned that in American culture the word "truth" has become such a negative word. When someone says "ya gotta speak some truth to that boy"... it usually means a reprimand, or perhaps a wake up call, as in "hard truth". Also, the idea that there is any universal "truth" is widely considered closed-minded. So its not surprising that when we read the phrase in the Bible "speaking the truth in love" we often think of rebuke.
So we tried to think of some possible positive ways to take the verse, just out of curiosity. This made me think of Hebrews 10:24-25 "and let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another -- and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
Putting this into its slightly broader context, verse 23 has the word "hope" and verse 26 has the word "truth", which appear to be nearly synonymous in this passage. Hmm...
Wait a minute....
truth...
What does the Bible usually mean when it says "truth"...
What is THE truth of the whole Bible...
THE GOSPEL!!! Ding ding ding!!!
Speaking the truth in love...
Speaking the gospel in love...
AHA!
Looking back in Ephesians it seems so obvious now. The verse just before it is about "every wind of teaching" and "deceitful scheming". The antidote? The gospel of course. Duh! We are to be speaking the gospel to each other to avoid being blown here and there by every wind of teaching. And this includes rebuke sometimes, but it seems to me now that rebuke is not the main thrust of the passage.
NEAT!!!
So we tried to think of some possible positive ways to take the verse, just out of curiosity. This made me think of Hebrews 10:24-25 "and let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another -- and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
Putting this into its slightly broader context, verse 23 has the word "hope" and verse 26 has the word "truth", which appear to be nearly synonymous in this passage. Hmm...
Wait a minute....
truth...
What does the Bible usually mean when it says "truth"...
What is THE truth of the whole Bible...
THE GOSPEL!!! Ding ding ding!!!
Speaking the truth in love...
Speaking the gospel in love...
AHA!
Looking back in Ephesians it seems so obvious now. The verse just before it is about "every wind of teaching" and "deceitful scheming". The antidote? The gospel of course. Duh! We are to be speaking the gospel to each other to avoid being blown here and there by every wind of teaching. And this includes rebuke sometimes, but it seems to me now that rebuke is not the main thrust of the passage.
NEAT!!!
Click here to direct-link to this post
2 Comments:
Thank you! I've been going thru some tough times of late. You have no idea how encouraging this comment is to me.
I think the frequency of bible study posts is going to be on the increase.
Well, we don't get pruned during the easy times. :-) With each passing day I'm seeing more how God is showing me so much through this, and for that I'd have to say I'm tha... ahem, I'd have to say I'm th... I'm glad for it. And thankful.
Post a Comment
<< Home