The Seeker's Network

Truth and Love

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:


The church is asked to come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of Christ, so that it will mature into the perfect man that would be fitting for the body of Christ. To do this, it has been given the necessary leadership to teach it and establish it on a sound, unwavering doctrine. The church and its members are not to be tossed about by every new heresy that happens to come along.

"But speaking the truth..." The Greek word "aletheuo," should not be limited to simply speaking the truth. "Here the idea is rather that of being or walking in truth." (Vincent's Word Studies) Speaking the truth and being or walking in the truth are very different things. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones prefers "holding the truth" and says, "Holding the truth is the antithesis of being carried about by every wind of doctrine."

The old saying that words are cheap is very true. Walking in the truth is a way of life. In order for the church to grow up into Christ in all things, we must know, understand and teach sound doctrine; and then, we must live accordingly. We live in an age when the meaning of truth has been downgraded to something that is dependent on circumstances. The church must constantly fight to maintain that truth is absolute and never relative. It must call its people to walk in that truth regardless of the surrounding circumstances. Anything less constitutes being tossed to and fro.

However, Paul gives us a condition that must be met while holding the truth. We must hold to the truth "in love." This has been made very difficult by modern society in which truth has been said to be relative. People who live by sound Biblical doctrine are called, "radicals," a word that has come to be associated with Islamic terrorists. It is deliberately used to describe the body of Christ to put a distaste for truth into the minds of the public. In a recent court case it was upheld that the use of words like marriage and one man one woman in the work place constitutes hate speech.

If the public is convinced that speaking the truth constitutes hate speech, how can we speak it and live by it in love? We must be very careful to control the tone of our voice and to qualify our words so that it is clear that we speak out of love for our listeners. Christians should also increase their outward demonstration of love towards the enemies of truth. Jesus said that we should love our enemies.

We have a tendency to speak very harshly about people who are living sinful lifestyles. While we should never condone such things, we must always try to make it clear that we speak out of love for those people, that the sin is harmful to them and that we do not want to see them have to pay the consequences for living that way.

Holding the truth in love never means compromising the truth. All truth is based on the gospel. Jesus said that He is the way, the truth and the life. There will never be an occasion that justifies compromising that truth or any of the important doctrines that support it.

Walking in the truth in love is the way for the church to grow up into Christ in all things, all aspects of our life. Christ is the head of the church, the leader, the firstborn of many brethren and the example whom we are to follow.

Before The Throne:

Ask God to help you discern the truth, to live by it unconditionally and to do it in love. Pray for the world to recognize that, at the very least, truth is absolute. Pray for our lawmakers to respect our freedom of speech and to recognize that the truth of the Gospel is not hate speech. Ask God to help you to exhibit your love for your enemies or the enemies of truth in ever increasing ways.

For Further Study:

(v.15) ** But: Zec 8:16; 2Co 4:2; 8:8; ** speaking the truth: Jdg 16:15; Psa 32:2; Joh 1:47; Rom 12:9; Jam 2:15-16; 1Pe 1:22; 1Jo 3:18; ** may: Eph 2:21; Hos 14:5-7; Mal 4:2; 1Pe 2:2; 2Pe 3:18; ** which: Eph 1:22; 5:23; Col 1:18-19;