GALATIANS 4:16
“So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?
As parents we often tell our children to just tell the truth. Why? Because we want them to grow up doing that. Sometimes when we tell the truth it can be hard to hear. We are told to in Ephesians 4:25, “Therefore, ridding yourselves of falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE OF YOU WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, because we are parts of one another.” (Those caps point back to Zechariah 8:16)
Paul has been telling the Galatians the truth about their actions. Remember back in chapter 2 of Galatians Paul spoke the truth to Peter and rebuked him. Truth is hard sometimes, but he had to be truthful. Even at the risk of Peter turning on him, he had to tell the truth. Paul told us later in Ephesians 4:15 to speak the truth in love. “but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is, Christ,” It’s all about being like Jesus, Who always spoke the truth because He is the Truth.
APPLICATION
In the ministry in which I serve, Every Man A Warrior, we have a commitment each man must sign in order to be a part of a group. #5 in the commitment states, “I will not be defensive if my brothers challenge me if I do not fulfill my commitment. I will welcome their challenge and seek greater faithfulness.” That is a big pill to swallow for a lot of guys. Some get mad, even though they signed the commitment.
Let me encourage you to speak the truth in love. Be gentle, but truthful. You may have to confront a fellow brother or sister’s sin. That’s hard. But we are told to bring our fellow believers back into fellowship and out of sin. Don’t be vengeful and try to find out stuff on people. That is not what Paul did. He saw the Galatians not living according to the teachings of Christ and confronted them.
Proverbs 27:5-6 says, “5 Better is open rebuke than love that is concealed. 6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.” I had much rather have a friend hurt me by telling me the truth than lie to me and wind up deeper in my sin. Hadn’t you? Is that easy to receive? No, it’s not, but it will draw us closer to our Savior. What will you do with this truth today?
O Lord, You are the Truth. Help me to live in truth daily.