The gifts Christ gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love. (Ephesians 4, 11-16 NRSV)
As technology advances, it is easier for us to access all sorts of information. Not only that, we also experience situations where various kinds of information flood our lives. The problem is that among all this data, not all of it can be accounted for. There is also incorrect information. Information that is not based on facts, or even that distorts facts! We must be aware of this because it can mislead us.
The church at Ephesus lived in the midst of a growing variety of teachings. Not all of these teachings were good and in accordance with the call of the Christian faith. It is in this context that the apostle Paul encourages believers to “speak the truth in love” (v. 15). Only then will they not be “tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming.” (v. 14) What are the characteristics of truth? For the apostle, truth makes the believers—as individuals but also as a community—to grow in love, towards Christ.
“Speaking the truth in love” means being willing to seek the truth together, humbly and sincerely. For that, we need to use our common sense, to have a clear mind and a pure heart. In faith, our guide is Christ himself, who said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). In every situation we ask, does it point us to Christ or to something else? This is what the Holy Spirit does in our lives. Indeed, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth who glorifies Christ (John 16:14).
In a time when information is abundant and when not all of it can be accounted for, what should be our attitude?
How can you practice “speaking the truth in love” today?