Speaking the Truth in Love

"Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ" - Eph 4:15

"When you begin to see that person in the middle of a difficult and painful struggle, don’t try to prevent it, but pray that his difficulty will grow even ten times stronger, until no power on earth or in hell could hold him away from Jesus Christ...You may often have to watch Jesus Christ wreck a life before He saves it." Oswald Chambers - My Utmost for His Highest


Its funny how context matters.

In reading Ephesians 4, Paul's one main point is that we need to live in a manner worthy of the calling we have received. A substantial part of that living is done within the church. So, we unify around truth, have have men who are gifted to teach us and challenge us, and we grow up to become more and more like Christ. This is so we will not be tossed by every false doctrine, but be locked in on Christ and can do our part within the church so that it may be built up in love.

With that as background, what does Paul mean by "speaking the truth in love"? It would seem to me, that while it may be wise to always speak truth and to always speak lovingly, Eph 4:15 is not a blanket rule on how to have a conversation. Paul is very specific. Our love saturated truth speaking has a goal, to grow us up into Christ.  This verse is here because this sort of truth speaking is either a) hard to do or b) hard to do lovingly or c) hard do to lovingly so that we grow up in Christ.

Please note Paul is not saying "be quiet".  That would be the wrong application.  Rather, he is saying: 1) know the truth, 2) love the truth, 3) speak the truth that you love, 4) always know, love and speak so that others will grow closer to Christ.  Easy? No. Worth it? Yes!

To God Alone be the Glory