Lighting Up Our City Video 2: Avoiding Insider LanguageSample

Commenting on this passage in the book of Ephesians, pastor and author Warren Wiersbe once observed, “Truth without love is brutality, and love without truth is hypocrisy.” What did he mean by this?

The Bible is God’s true Word. But all too often, God’s Word can be wielded like a club to condemn those who sin. We can pronounce His righteousness, holiness, and just judgment for sin without any acknowledgment of His mercy, grace, and love. Sadly, those who do not follow Christ are all too accustomed to hearing these types of messages from Christians.

Others speak only of God’s love and mercy, ignoring His holiness and justice. Hypocrisy results when we close our eyes to the sin that is such an affront to God that He sent His Son, Jesus, to pay the price of it for us.

So how do we find balance when speaking the truth in love? The answer may be found in evangelist D. L. Moody’s advice: “If you speak of hell, do it with a tear in your eye.” Speak of God’s holy and righteous judgment, not with joy over the punishment of others, but with sadness that they rejected the salvation God offered them. Show others that the judgment they face for their sin breaks God’s heart…and ours.

We can quote Bible verses about God’s righteous judgment, and we can quote verses about God’s merciful love. But an accurate picture is not one or the other. It’s both.

How can you cultivate a greater awareness of the balance of truth and love in your conversations?

By Ava Pennington