by Chris Steele

March 4, 2007

Whenever we speak, we must always speak the truth. The Apostle Paul qualified this with the idea of always speaking the truth “in love” (Ephesians 4:15).

It seems that some today have forgotten the love of Christ in the gospel message they preach. Although at times we must “reprove, rebuke, and exhort,” we also need to remember that Paul said to do this “with all longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:2). There is never a reason for harsh, unkind, or vindictive speech when it comes to teaching others about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We do need to understand that the Word of God is powerful as it condemns sin and convicts the soul. Those who heard Peter preach the gospel for the first time were “pricked in their heart.” Why? Because Peter used some pretty strong words when he told them that they had killed the Son of God (Acts 2:36, 37)!

We must remember that the apostle was preaching the gospel which is “God’s power to save” (Romans 1:16). This is the story of God’s love for us in the sending his Son to be our Redeemer (John 3:16). Those who believed and obeyed the gospel went “on their way rejoicing” (Acts 8:39). So even though Peter had accused them of a horrible crime against God, he revealed the love of God which was able to forgive them of that very thing.

Some today have forgotten the distinctiveness of the gospel message. They have sacrificed the truth for a human philosophy that misunderstands true love and that cannot convict anyone of sin. In the name of love, the real punch of the gospel has been softened, so that people are not disturbed or “pricked in their heart.” These people will not feel compelled to do anything about their sins or change their way of life. This is not “preaching the truth in love.”

If we take love out of our preaching, we take the heart out of the message of Christ. If we take truth out of our preaching, we take the power out of the gospel.