June 2024, Pride Month - Conclusion: Dispelling Modern Misconceptions About "Speaking the Truth in Love"

Amidst the digital age's undulating tide of information, the modern church has gradually enshrined tolerance, niceness, and aversion to any form of sternness as the quintessence of love. This contemporary veneer of love—largely a reflection of Pagan societal norms sparked by postmodernism and advanced by the hippie movements of the '60s and '70s and the LGBTQ movement today—has infected the Church and diluted the vibrant, robust biblical truth in favor of a more palatable, gentle, and non-confrontational version, in much the same way a candy-coated bitter pill is rendered easier to swallow.

This diluted notion of love, unfortunately, has permeated our understanding of biblical principles, among them, the idea of "speaking the truth in love" as commanded in Ephesians 4:15. But is this non-judgmental, culturally co-opted interpretation of Paul's command accurate? Does 'speaking the truth in love' equate to mere niceties, gentle whispers, and pacifying words? Does this mean that turning the other cheek to confrontation is necessary?

In Ephesians 4:15, the Apostle Paul wrote: "Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ." The Greek word for truth here is 'aletheia', which carries an understanding of truth as reality—a truth that is in accordance with what is, what was, and what will be. This truth, in the biblical context, is neither a sugarcoated nicety nor an attempt to sidestep confrontation. It is the unvarnished reality of God, His commands, His standards, and His gospel.

Let us also consider the phrase 'in love', translated from the Greek 'en agape'. It refers to a love that is sacrificial, selfless, and seeks the highest good of others, even at personal cost. When Paul speaks of talking truth 'in love', he is referring to an honest and sincere disclosure of reality, driven by a deep, sacrificial desire for the wellbeing of the listener.