Speaking the Truth in Love - Part 1

·51 min·5 clips

A pastor explains why Christians have no option to avoid speaking the truth, and must do so in love.

The episode is a sermon delivered at Grace Life Church of Brookhaven, focusing on the biblical imperative from Ephesians 4:15 to 'speak the truth in love.' The speaker, Tommy, opens by reading Ephesians 4:11-16, emphasizing verses 2 and 3 which call for humility, gentleness, and unity. He establishes that speaking the truth in love is not optional for believers. The sermon's first major task is to define 'the truth.' Tommy argues it is not merely telling the truth in a general sense, but specifically the 'gospel of your salvation,' 'the truth in Christ,' and 'the truth of the gospel' as referenced in Ephesians 1:13, 4:21, and Galatians. He explains the Greek concept involves 'truthing'—living out and speaking biblical doctrine. The second task is to define 'love.' Tommy identifies the Greek word used as 'agape,' a self-giving, sacrificial love. To define it, he turns to 1 Corinthians 13, the 'love chapter.' The bulk of the sermon examines the attributes of agape love listed in 1 Corinthians 13:4-5. Tommy explores 'love is patient,' linking it to God's patience and the fruit of the Spirit. He then discusses 'love is kind,' describing it as an active bestowing of benefits. The sermon continues into negative definitions: love is not jealous, does not brag, is not puffed up. Tommy connects these to humility and warns against arrogance, especially within Reformed theological circles. He further examines that love does not act unbecomingly (is not rude), does not seek its own (is not self-interested), is not provoked (is not easily angered), and does not take into account a wrong suffered (does not keep a ledger of offenses). The speaker uses personal anecdotes from his time in law enforcement and pastoral reflections to illustrate failures and the need for growth. He concludes by acknowledging the difficulty of the command, emphasizing dependence on the Holy Spirit, and previewing a part two to cover the remaining attributes in 1 Corinthians 13:6-8.

As heard by us

A patient, church-centered study of truthful speech through Ephesians 4 and 1 Corinthians 13.

This sermon frames Christian speech as a discipline formed by love before the hard sentence is ever spoken. It pairs Ephesians 4:2-3 with verses 11-16, then settles into 1 Corinthians 13, where agape love becomes the measure for truthful words.

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Why you'd press play

Need a biblical check on truth-telling when impatience is doing the talking?

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