Ephesians 4:15

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we shall in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is Christ.”

instead of being immature children blown away by every wind of doctrine and the schemes of deceitful people, we are to grow up in love and into the Head of the Body, that is Christ.

“speaking the truth in love” should not be seen as an excuse for gossip or for confrontations based on self-righteousness, as some suppose. It is not the biblical equivalent of “tough love” which gives us an excuse to tell people exactly what we think of them “in love.”

the phrase “in love” occurs repeatedly in Ephesians as a kind of refrain. In fact, Paul uses it in the very next verse when talking about how the body of Christ grows, with every part building itself in love.

we should note that the phrase “in love” has nothing to do with romance. The word for love is again agape which refers to the love that comes from God.

To speak the truth in love means that love is our motivation before we even speak. The love of God should so constrain us that we seek to build one another up always. Mostly this will involve listening and acting for one another. Sometimes, it may involve speaking words of edification, comfort, and exhortation.

Speaking in love means that we use our words to build up, not to tear down. The world is full of destructive and critical words, and the church does not need to add to them.

that does not mean that we never speak the truth. Speaking the truth in love Is In distinct opposition to “the cunning and craftiness of men and in their deceitful scheming” in the previous verse.

there will be times when we have to speak uncomfortable truth to those who are deceitful or deceived. Those who seek to use the church to further their own personal agendas must be called to account. Even then, we must ensure that we do this in love.

church discipline is a process of drawing an offender back into the grace of Christ. The love of God must always be the dominant feature of such processes.

the requirement to speak the truth in love applies to those who proclaim the gospel and to those who teach the church. It is possible to preach truth in such a way that it leaves the hearers condemned and further from God than before we started. We must preach the truth of God’s word always in the context of the love of God.

As we speak the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ.

Christ is the perfect example of love and truth dwelling together without contradiction. As we learn to both love and proclaim truth we will grow into Him.

this is a truth for individuals, but also for the church. The congregation of Gods people, the ekklesia, models Christ when it lives both truthfully and lovingly. We love one another and speak words of truth to one another. Christ will mature us as we grow in both love and truth.

to grow up into Christ means that we become like Him in all things. This Is what It means to be a follower or a disciple of Jesus. We walk behind Him, we imitate Him, and we become like Him or grow up into Him .

this has to be in “all things”, otherwise we become lopsided. Jesus, the Son of Man, was perfect in all that He did. To follow Jesus means that we imitate Him in all things. Although our natural temperament makes it easier to imitate Jesus in some ways more than others, to be like Jesus we must mature in all things .

the discipline of the Lord, the study of the Word, prayer, and the fellowship of the church, all help to correct us in the parts of our lives that are out of divine order.

the church needs the ministry of the five- fold gifts to nurture this maturity in all things. The offices of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher bring different perspectives so that the church may grow in all things.

the church has the responsibility to both hear the ministry gifts, and to ensure that others with these gifts are nurtured and matured. In this way it grows in all things into its head, that is Christ.

key points in this verse:

• rather than being tossed about by the schemes of deceitful people, we must speak the truth in love

• this is not a licence to say anything we think.

• love is the dominant motif in the church, even when confronting deceitful and deceived people.

• we must grow up in all things.

• The ministry gifts give us a balanced perspective on growing in Christ.