All We Need is Love?

In Ephesians chapter 4, Paul exhorts us to live in unity in the Body of Christ. Toward the end of this exhortation we find the following passage: "Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ." (v. 15) And so we come by the phrase "speak the truth in love" that seems to be bandied about in just about every context, particularly as a justification for sitting down and refusing the speak the hard truths that, when voiced, will at a minimum be met with resistance, both within the community of believers and without. In fact, many would say that drawing a line of absolute truth regarding sin is not speaking the truth in love. And so we find ourselves with mouths full of platitudes, saying that while we don't agree with something, it's fine for the other person or we're not going to judge or some other hedge that refuses to acknowledge that there is Truth. Capital T Truth. And that the Truth needs to be spread, even if it's uncomfortable.

But beyond that, I think there needs to be a closer examination of that verse in the context of the whole of this chapter of Ephesians (and ultimately the whole book). The first 13 verses are an exhortation to unity in the Spirit. He's speaking to the body of believers, and the audience doesn't change when he hits verses 14 and following:

"Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."

This is an emphasis on growing in spiritual maturity and resisting false teaching, encouraging one another by speaking the truth about these false teachings - in love - so that no one falls but rather we all attain spiritual maturity and unity of purpose. The above verses (14 - 16) end the exhortation, then begins instruction on how to live in unity and maturity, starting off with verse 17 "So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking."

So Paul is telling us to speak the truth in love to one another - meaning other Christians. This isn't to say that we should go around bashing people over the head and calling them sinners - we know that's not true - Jesus told us to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us. But I think we need to step back from the edge of situational morality and admit that right and wrong exist and we need to be willing to stand up for right, regardless. It becomes less an issue of trying to make sure that the truth is spoken in love as it is making sure that we're actually sticking to the Truth. Because faiiling to speak the Truth is the most unloving thing we can possibly do.