by Chris Steele

March 9, 2008

Paul encourages us to speak 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 need to remember that Paul said to do this “with all longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:2). We should be very careful to keep our emotions under control and not let them get the best of us. There is never a reason for harsh or vindictive speech when it comes to teaching others about the truth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

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” (Acts 2:37). Even though they stood condemned for killing the Son of God just a few weeks before, Peter and the other apostles let the power of the Word convict them of their sins!

We must remember that the apostles were preaching the gospel; “God’s power to save” (Romans 1:16). This is the story of God’s love for us in the sending of his Son to be our Savior (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 to forgive them of that very thing. How wonderful is the grace of God!

Some today have forgotten the distinctiveness of the gospel. They have convinced themselves that pointing out sin (any sin) is being harsh and unloving. Therefore they have sacrificed the truth for mushy human philosophy that cannot convict anyone of sin. In the name of love, the punch of the gospel has been softened, so that people are not disturbed or “pricked in their heart” that they might be convicted to ask what they must do to be saved. 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.