February 20, 2000

Speak the Truth in Love

Ephesians 4:5 instructs us to speak the truth in love.  “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:"  

Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.  Since Jesus is truth He spoke only truth.  He also said to the Father, "...thy Word is Truth..."  We see Jesus is the truth and the Word of God is truth.  

Look at some examples of Jesus speaking the Truth in love.  In John 17 Jesus prayed to the Father.  In this prayer Jesus called those things that be not as though they were.  He spoke words of faith.

Verse 4: "...I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do."   Jesus had not yet gone to the cross and paid the eternal price for our sins.  He had not yet gone to the lower parts of the earth to bind the evil one and make a show of him openly.  He had not yet suffered the stripes on his back that activated the promise in 1^st Peter 2:24 "...by whose stripes ye were healed.”  Jesus considered these tasks complete.

Verse 6: "...and they (the disciples) have kept thy word."  Peter had not yet denied the Lord three times.

Verse 10: "...I (Jesus) am glorified in them (the disciples)."   If you read the Gospels you know that between the time of this prayer until the day of Pentecost the disciples made many mistakes or sins.  Thomas did not display God's Glory when he doubted that Jesus was resurrected.

What is the point?  There are two keys we must understand and do:

1.      Jesus calls those things that be not as though they were; and

2.      He speaks the Truth in Love thus giving an example of what we are to do.

How did He speak the Truth in Love?  He spoke the Word of God.  The Bible says that God elevated His Word even above His name.  Jesus was the Word made flesh.  Jesus spoke the Word to the Father about His disciples and about us.

Jesus prayed and set Truth in motion for you if Jesus is the Lord of your life and you believe God raised Jesus from the dead.  Jesus said the glory that the Father gave to him He gave to you.  He said to keep the Word of God.  Jesus spoke positive powerful things about us.

Each of us have spoken negative words about another believer.  When you spoke negative words you spoke the opposite of what Jesus spoke over us.

Often members and leaders in the Body of Christ have used the scripture about speaking the Truth in love to chastise, put down or point out a fault in another believer.  We did this while non-believers watch.  Dear ones this ought not to be.

Have you ever wondered why there aren’t thousands waiting hours in line for the doors of your church to open and services to start?  This could be one of the reasons.  A non-believer will not come to a church to be abused by the members.   God forbid!

What are we going to do about it?  Go in the other direction.

REPENT!

We must desire to grow up in God’s ways of doing things.  We must speak God’s Truth about our brothers and sisters.  We must say things about them that agree with the Word.  We must renew our mind to the Word of God. 

Speak the Word to a brother or sister.  Call those things that be not as though they were.  Jesus did this; so must we.  Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.  Create a Godly blueprint that the Holy Spirit can use.  Unity in the Body of Christ will grow.

1        The Spirit of the Lord is upon you for He (the Spirit) has Anointed you to preach the Good News to the poor; to heal the broken hearted; to set at liberty those that are bruised.  Burdens are removed and yokes destroyed by your Anointed words because of the Anointing that is upon you.

2        By Jesus stripes you were healed.

3        When you see a brother or sister looking sad, don't say, "you look so sad today"  Instead say what the Word says; "your joy runneth over"

In Ephesians 4:29 we are told not to let any corrupt communication proceed out of our mouth.  We are only to speak words that edify and build up one another.

God bless you as put this Word to the Body of Christ to work.  God blessed you to be a blessing to others.