Daily Scripture Reading Ephesians 4:11 - 5:2
In recent decades, evangelical churches have put a lot of focus on emotions, experiences, and making people feel good. One result of that push has been the development of the mentality that we should always be nice and polite in how we speak to each other. One of the verses that is often quoted to condemn those who speak hard truths is the verse about speaking the truth in love.
Today, we will read the passage that contains that verse, and we will read it in context. We will also consider the true meaning of speaking the truth in love. Speaking in love does not refer to how we say something, it refers to why we say what we say.
In yesterday’s passage, we read that all Christians form one body, the Church. We have one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God, and one Father. However, even though we are one body, each member of the body has different talents and abilities.
Eph. 4:11 And He Himself gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,
The word “gave” is in past tense. It is a translation of an aorist indicative Greek verb, which means it is a single, completed event.
Eph. 4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ,
Note the word “for”. Verse 12 is the purpose of the functions listed in verse 11.
Eph. 4:13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the full knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ,
Look at the word “until”. Verse 13 is the goal of the equipping described in verse 12.
Look at the phrase “full knowledge”. The goal is knowledge, not emotion or feeling.
Modern evangelicalism promotes emotion. Many church services are designed to create an experience which gives people an emotional high. Many churches even call their services an experience.
According to Grok, “An experience is a subjective event or encounter that an individual perceives, feels, or undergoes, often involving sensory, emotional, or cognitive engagement with their environment or circumstances.”
Experiences do not lead to full knowledge; therefore, churches should not be promoting experiences or emotions. They should be promoting Biblical knowledge.
Eph. 4:14 so that we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming,
This verse starts with the words “so that” and explains what Christians should not be. We should not be children, meaning we should not be immature. We should not follow every doctrinal fad that comes along. The key to protecting ourselves against every wind of doctrine is to have the full knowledge of the Bible which is mentioned in verse 13.
Due to the fact that most evangelical churches focus on emotion rather than fact, most so-called evangelical Christians are susceptible to every wind of doctrine.
Churches need to stop creating experiences and start teaching unadulterated truth.
Eph. 4:15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is Christ,
Don’t miss the command to speak the truth.
Some people see the phrase “in love” and think this verse means we should always be polite when we speak, but love does not refer to how we say something, it refers to why we say something. Sometimes speaking the truth in love requires us to say things that are hard, perhaps even harsh.
If we speak the truth in order to help or correct someone, then we are speaking the truth in love, no matter how difficult it is for someone to hear what we say. On the other hand, if we speak the truth in order to insult someone or tear them down, then we are not speaking the truth in love.
Eph. 4:16 from whom the whole body, being joined and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the properly measured working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
Eph. 4:17 ¶ Therefore this I say, and testify in the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind,
Eph. 4:18 being darkened in their mind, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart.
Eph. 4:19 And they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.
This verse implies that sensuality is wrong. Many modern churches services appeal to emotion and the senses, which trains people to respond to sensuality.
Eph. 4:20 But you did not learn Christ in this way—
Eph. 4:21 if indeed you heard Him and were taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus,
Eph. 4:22 to lay aside, in reference to your former conduct, the old man, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,
Eph. 4:23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
Eph. 4:24 and to put on the new man, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
Eph. 4:25 ¶ Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another.
Once again we see the command to speak truth. Christians should not focus on emotions, creating experiences, or making people feel good. Instead, we should speak the truth.
Eph. 4:26 BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
Some Christians think that anger is always wrong, but this verse commands us to be angry. Many times we are sinning when we are angry, particularly if we lose control of ourselves when we are angry, but there is such a thing as being angry without sinning. If our anger is based on truth and we are still exercising self-control, then we might be angry without sinning.
Eph. 4:27 and do not give the devil an opportunity.
Eph. 4:28 He who steals must steal no longer, but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.
Eph. 4:29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for building up what is needed, so that it will give grace to those who hear.
Ponder the meaning of “unwholesome word”. The Greek word that was translated “unwholesome” can also be translated as “bad”. Christians should not use bad words.
Over the past decade, I have heard more and more so-called Christians using swear words. Swear words are unwholesome words. Christians need to re-establish our resistance to using bad words.
Eph. 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Eph. 4:31 Let all bitterness and anger and wrath and shouting and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
Eph. 4:32 Instead, be kind to one another, tender-hearted, graciously forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has graciously forgiven you.
Eph. 5:1 ¶ Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children,
Eph. 5:2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
Speaking the truth in love does not mean we should never say anything hard or harsh. It does not refer to how we say something. Instead, speaking the truth in love refers to why we say what we say. Sometimes speaking the truth requires us to say things which are critical and difficult to hear.
To what extent have you or your church adopted the wrong mentality that Christians should always be polite and nice when we speak?
What are some occasions when speaking the truth required you to say something that was hard and harsh?
What reality are you currently dealing with that you need to speak some truth that will be difficult to speak and for the other person to hear?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”