In Love

Have you ever read the verse Ephesians 4:15? It’s a beautiful verse. It’s a beautiful verse that’s surrounded by a beautiful chapter. Have you read the whole chapter? It’s good. Like, you should probably grab your Bible (or Bible app) and read it right now before you finish reading this blog.

Okay so did you read it?

“Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.” Ephesians 4:15

I’ve heard that phrase, “speak the truth in love”, SO many times and usually by well intentioned Christians who are sweetly calling someone out for screwing up. I mean, I’m pretty sure I’ve done it too. The interesting thing, though, is that there doesn’t seem to be any mention of someone sinning in that entire passage (Ephesians 4:1-16.) Wait. What? No, seriously. The whole section is about unity in the church. The whole thing is talking about building each other up, maturing together, and growing as one in God’s love. In fact, the next verse says, “He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special wok, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”

I can’t help but wonder… What if we looked at that as a command to speak the GREATEST truth in love? What if we spoke the ultimate truth of Christ crucified for the salvation of our sins with so much love that people couldn’t help but notice that something big was happening. What if we spoke the ultimate truth, about the ultimate love, while reflecting that love? Can you imagine how we’d see our world change? What if we stopped using that verse as license to kindly condemn and used it as a reason to lovingly proclaim the perfect love of Christ? What if…

What if the body of Christ rose up and actively SPOKE the TRUTH in LOVE. I just can’t help but think that we’d be completely shocked at what would happen. What if we stopped speaking the facts of what someone has done wrong and instead declared boldly that Christ died, was buried, and rose again to free them from every sin they’ve ever committed and that he loves them right where they are. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8.

I’m not suggesting that there isn’t a time and place where we need to speak wisdom or correction to someone. Not at all. I’ve had to do so myself sometimes. But you know what? I don’t think that’s what we should be known for as the church of Christ. I think our reputation as the church needs to be that we passionately announce the freely available grace and mercy of Jesus with all the love we can contain. Could that possibly be what this broken, hurting, aching world needs?