Never go to a church which is not preaching biblical truth and explaining it, not only from the pulpit but between the members: in their conversation, in their encouragement of each other, in their explanation of all their trials and tribulations. Every member is disseminating truth, not in a bossy, haughty, holier-than-thou way, but in terms of sharing and comfort. This applies all the way down to the youngest classes in the Sunday school. What do you do? Do you teach them games? Bible games perhaps, things to do, expression work, modelling? No, in simplified form they are taught Bible doctrine and salvation and the great things of God.
Evidently the love spoken of here is not a love which simply says what it knows the other wants to hear. It does not praise all men unconditionally and approve what is evil. It is able to make distinctions. It is the same love with which Christ loved the world and which we are to imitate. It is a love which is wholly consistent with truth. Such love will never pretend that evil is good, or that sin will not be judged by God. It is a love that warns the world of the consequences of rebellion against God and goes on faithfully warning in spite of rebuff. It is a love which first of all loves the truth and will not be shifted away from this. It always speaks the truth and never drops into lying in order to avoid making the other uncomfortable. And yet it is not just truth that has no care for others. It is truth spoken in love. To speak in this way is not to speak harshly, with intention to hurt and regardless of whether others are won to the Lord or not. It is to learn to give a soft answer that turns away wrath. It is to speak in a kind way, to speak of God’s love and grace.
Truth in love is to be spoken to believers also. This is the speech of a faithful pastor who knows that only close dealings with the soul in truth and love can bring any real help to the discouraged, the troubled, the backsliding, the careless. Those who speak the truth in love have learnt both how to be indifferent to the criticism of men, and to be as gentle as a nursing mother. It is a snare to the believer if he cares too much about the opinions of the world or of the approval of men. By speaking the truth in love we avoid all these pitfalls. Love fulfils the law of God and does no harm to its neighbour. To be perfect is then to no longer be ensnared by the fear of man. This is a great liberty for the crafty will play upon the fear of man in order to influence and intimidate the innocent.
Everything in Scripture is eternal. If you are a saved child of God and you die and go to heaven, you will have millions of amazing surprises, things so far beyond anything that could be described on earth in wonder and magnificence, but you will not have one single shock. There will be not one single disappointment. All the doctrines and the promises of God will hold good through the everlasting ages.
Truth has such power by the power of the Holy Spirit; it is so liberating, so illuminating. One minute we were full of doubts: Can these things I am hearing about God be true? But by the illumination of the Spirit, suddenly these things became real, and I am not only given a clear view of them, but I am convinced about them. Why didn’t I see this before? When I was converted truth purged out all my false ideas about myself, about the world, all my false optimism and dreams. Truth is triumphant. There is nothing more decried than the word of God, and yet it is never extinguished, never destroyed. The education system can banish it and teach every theory that they can that brainwashes the little children into despising the word of God, but it can never extinguish it. Hostility can take its most powerful form, as it will in Satan’s little season which is surely drawing near, but always there will be a witness for the truth.