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Words of Life
No 41, 2022, North Queensland
Ephesians 4:15
Following the rebirth of water and spirit, a new man is begun within us. Apostle Paul encourages us to not remain as an infant, but continue to grow to maturity of faith, as befits our mission to be prepared as a counterpart for the Lord.
Many of the infant apostles in their letters confirmed the sign that this would be occurring in our lives as we begin speaking in ‘truth’ AND ‘love’.
Jesus Christ is the Word of God who became flesh, and He underlined His eternal being with the words in John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” God is also love, and we can see, therefore, why both elements are required in our speaking.
If we speak only truth without love, anyone hearing will take offence as our human nature is now unable to not rebel. Romans 7:15 “For that which I do I allow not: for what! would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.”
Conversely, if we only speak love without the truth, the spirit of error is ever lurking to deceive. 1 John 4:6, “We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.”
The absolute ‘truth’ is that we are all condemned by sin. The perfect ‘love’ is that we can be ‘saved by grace through faith’, regardless of our sin.
The truth and love of all our testimony is summed up by Apostle Peter. 1 Peter 1:22, “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:”