"SPEAKING TRUTH IN LOVE!"

Ephesians 4:11-16                         (ESV)
"11 And HE gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,
12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of CHRIST,
13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the SON of GOD, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of CHRIST,
14 so that we may NO LONGER BE CHILDREN, TOSSES to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in DECEITFUL SCHEMES.
15 Rather, "SPEAKING TRUTH IN LOVE", we are to GROW UP in every way into HIM who is the head, into CHRIST,
16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."



Observing the actions of others is how most determine if the deeds of others are GODLY.  JESUS said in Matthew 7:15-20 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.  YOU WILL RECOGNIZE THEM BY THEIR FRUITS!  Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?  So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.  A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, NOR CAN A DISEASED TREE BEAR GOOD FRUIT.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Thus YOU WILL RECOGNIZE THEM BY THEIR FRUITS!"  Are we not instructed by JESUS HIMSELF to determine if someone's FRUITS are good before partaking of that fruit?

How then can a person live in unrepentant sin with seemingly no remorse and expect to be a child of GOD?  The WORD OF GOD is not some book of fables and stories that is used when the message fits our scenario.  2 Timothy 3:16-17 says verbatim: "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."  Now usually I capitalize certain words, but this time I intentionally didn't to display the word "Scripture" is capitalized by the writers of this Bible with no help from me.  John 1:1 says "In the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was with GOD, and the WORD was GOD."  This (Scripture) is the WORD OF GOD (JESUS) and it/HE doesn't change for anyone or anything (Malachi 3:6)!

The word "ALL" doesn't need to get overlooked either.  Pastor Tim Keller writes “If we pick out which parts of the Bible we dislike, we actually have a god we've created. How can that god ever call you out on anything?”  If his statement is true, wouldn't we violate the first commandment that says "thou shalt have NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME"?  We can't "pick and choose" which scripture verses we need to apply for today and apply something different tomorrow.  We must apply "ALL SCRIPTURE" to our lives daily.

To say you have no sin is deceiving ourselves, and the TRUTH is NOT IN US (1 John 1:8).  GOD is just and righteous so HE is unable to change, even if HE wanted to.  But the price paid for the sins of mankind by JESUS on Calvary is/was far too great for GOD "cheapen" it, just because a human won't follow HIS Plan.  DO NOT BE DECEIVED!

These words that are written today are only meant to encourage HOLY living, to help some better discern what is the TRUTH!  The Apostle Paul must have felt similar feelings when he wrote "SPEAKING TRUTH IN LOVE" in Ephesians 4:15.  Our remaining time in "this world" mustn't be clouded with DECEITFUL SCHEMES and every wind of doctrine!  It is past time for us to live in "mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of CHRIST" and quit acting like "CHILDREN"!  Sometimes it is difficult to hear corrective words, but if you are loved, you will have to hear someone "SPEAKING TRUTH IN LOVE"!!!