Words Matter (021124)

Pastor Campbell’s Trip

Mom Campbell

Bob & Judy VanSant and First Baptist Church, Eldora, IA

Maranatha

Kinyonga’s & Mrs. Kelsey

Twins

Falls Road Baptist Church & Baptist College of the Ministry

Necessary Equipment

Quentin Road Baptist Church & Dayspring Bible College

Hyles Anderson College

Commonwealth Baptist College & Clays Mill Baptist Church

Back in the South

Truth in Love

Ephesians 4:15 KJV 1900

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

I again remind you of the goal:

Maturity in Christ!

Our purpose: Proclaiming the Gospel; Experiencing the miracle of changed lives!

Romans 8:29 (KJV 1900)

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Galatians 4:19 (KJV 1900)

My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

Notice what it is that God uses to mature us in Christ:

2 Timothy 3:16–17 (KJV 1900)

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Which brings us back to Ephesians:

Ephesians 4:12–15 KJV 1900

For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Speaking the Truth…

What is Truth?

That is a legitimate question and one that is answered by the Apostle Paul in this passage of Scripture.

Vs. 15 begins, But speaking the truth…

We can understand that, what Paul has spoken of, previous to vs. 15 is the opposite of truth and is that which we should avoid.

Ephesians 4:14 KJV 1900

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

Don’t be children. Children are helpless. Children have no stability. They are easily moved. They are easily toppled over.

Illustration: Greg & Ryan / Head against the dashboard

Children are helpless against:

Every wind of doctrine

This is exactly the concern Paul expressed when writing to the Galatians:

Galatians 1:6–7 KJV 1900

I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

This was also a battle that Paul warned young Timothy that he would face.

2 Timothy 4:3–4 KJV 1900

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

The word doctrine (in Eph. 4:14) is used in the bad sense of the word. It simply means teaching or instruction.

Paul does not detail the specific errors that he was concerned about but we can get some idea, I believe, from Paul’s words to the church in Colossae:

Colossians 2:8 KJV 1900

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

We can also get an idea of what Paul must have meant by considering Psalm 1:

Psalm 1:1–2 KJV 1900

Blessed is the man That walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; And in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Notice the condition of the individual opposite of this:

Psalm 1:4 KJV 1900

The ungodly are not so: But are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

So, from these passages of Scripture that we have looked at, we can confidently state that Paul is concerned about any teaching or instruction that was/is in opposition to God’s Word.

Are you and I concerned enough about the truth that we are willing to:

Know the truth of God’s Word?

To weigh every “Christian” book, every “Christian” blogger, every internet preacher against God’s Word?

Children are helpless against every wind of doctrine but vs. 14 states that they are also helpless against

The sleight of men

The Greek word that is used here literally refers to a cube, to dice-playing. Today, we use the term sleight of hand which one dictionary defines as the skilful hiding of the truth in order to win an advantage.

The cunning craftiness of others

Luke 20:21–26 KJV 1900

And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly: Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no? But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me? Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar’s. And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s. And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.

If you start reading a “Christian” book or a “Christian” blog and something just doesn’t seem right, stop reading it.

Don’t open the door to a Jehovah’s Witness or a Mormon.

If the “preacher” says something that just doesn’t seem right, stop listening.

2 Corinthians 11:3 KJV 1900

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Those seeking to deceive them

Satan and false teachers love to play tricks with the truth. They are experts at supporting their false doctrine and teaching with a verse of Scripture just ever so slightly taken out of context.

Genesis 3:1 (KJV 1900)

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said…?

It is very easy, in the mind of a child, to plant one small seed of doubt and then, through trickery and “sleight of hand” to water that seed of doubt until it blossoms into full rejection of the Truth of God and His Word!

With the Corinthians, the Galatians, the Ephesians, and even with young Timothy, Paul was concerned that they would be turned from the Truth!

…in Love

Ephesians 4:15 KJV 1900

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Allow me to give you two statements:

Truth must be given in Love.

Love must be based in Truth.

Perhaps you have seen this sign…

In This House

Notice the phrase: Love is Love.

Some people might even try to make that phrase sound spiritual by quoting portions of such verses as John 13:34 by saying “Love one another.”

That is why, at times, there are individuals who, when I preach on specific sins such as abortion or homosexuality, may be tempted to say, “You’re just being hateful; you’re not being loving.”

That phrase - Love is Love - is not based in truth; it is not a truthful statement!

In fact, what is meant by that statement is simply this:

You can “love” whomever or whatever you want - you choose - and you can demonstrate that “love” in whatever manner you choose.

Love, in this case, is defined by the individual. That is relativism.

But, as I have already said:

Truth must be given in Love.

Love must be based in Truth.

Allow me to prove those statements.

God is love.

This is one of the most universal “beliefs” about God. I don’t know that anyone would argue this point. In fact it is this truth that is most often used by the world to prove that “Love is Love.”

1 John 4:7–11 KJV 1900

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

Consider this, however…

Hebrews 12:5–6 KJV 1900

And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

God’s love demands that He chasten/discipline/educate/train every one of His children.

This is the truth - the aspect of God’s love - that the world does not want to acknowledge. You see that in statements such as “God is too loving to send anyone to hell” and other such statements.

If God disciplines, that means that there must be some objective truth by which He is able to determine what is right and what is wrong so that He knows how to discipline and how to discipline correctly.

Illustration: 2+2=4. That is an objective truth. If a child, on a quiz or test, writes 2+2=5 (or anything else other than “4”) than my love for that student demands that I mark their answer as wrong.

So, what is that objective truth that God uses?

This takes all the way back to where we started:

2 Timothy 3:16–17 KJV 1900

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

God’s Word is Objective Truth.

John 17:17 KJV 1900

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Jesus Christ is Objective Truth.

John 14:6 KJV 1900

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Putting this all together…

Romans 5:8 (KJV 1900)

But God commendeth [demonstrated] his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

1 Corinthians 15:1–4 KJV 1900

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

The truth of sin.

The truth of hell.

The truth of everlasting life through Christ’s death.

John 3:16 KJV 1900

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

That is…

Truth in Love