| Introduction In their workbook, "Preparing for Marriage God's Way: A Step-by-Step Guide for Marriage Readiness and After-the-Wedding Conflicts," Wayne and Nathan Mack say: "In a sense, your communication may be seen as the life blood of the marriage relationship. In the human body, if something hinders the flow of the blood, the whole person suffers. So too, if something interferes with the flow of your communication, your relationship will reap the consequences. We tend to acknowledge that this is true of marriage, though our acknowledgment is often just lip service because we don't practice it in our marriages. But Paul tells us in this passage that this is not true just of marriages. Good, godly, righteous communication is essential for the building up of the body of Christ. As we saw earlier in the chapter, the measure of maturity in the church is brothers and sisters speaking the truth in love to one another. So, we see this is a very important issue and to get it right and to practice it right are to grow closer to Jesus and to one another. I. Speaking the Truth to One Another Is the Result of Having Been Recreated by Jesus. A. As obvious as this may be to most of us, we need to say that all these characteristics we read in our passage don't make us a new person – they flow from our being a new creation in Christ. B. Because we have been transformed by the Spirit of God, because our hearts, our inner person, has been renewed, we are a new man (4:24), we live righteously, that is, we practice what God tells us – new man à obedience. 1. Because we are a new person in Christ, we put off lies and put on truth. 2. Because we are a new person in Christ, we put off anger and put on solving relational issues. 3. Because we are a new person in Christ, we put off stealing and put on generosity. 4. Because we are a new person in Christ, we put off corrupting communication and put on communication that builds up the body of Christ. 5. Because we are a new person in Christ, we put off bitterness and put on kindness. "From this head of doctrine, that is, from the righteousness of the new man, all godly exhortations flow, like streams from a fountain; for if all the precepts which relate to life were collected, yet, without this principle, they would be of little value." John Calvin C. Notice that Paul doesn't qualify what he is saying, that is, what we read here IS what everyone who is in Christ does. 1. So, let's get in our heads right from the beginning that Paul is not saying something that someone else should listen to. 2. If you claim to be in Christ, then these are the things you will do. 3. You CANNOT claim to be in Christ AND decide that you are not going to put off lying, anger, stealing, and bitterness. II. Speaking the Truth and Redemption Go Hand in Hand. A. Paul bases his teaching on the Word of God itself – Zechariah 8:16. B. In Zechariah 8, God restores Israel by his own coming to dwell in their midst. C. Because God himself restored his people, truthfulness marks them. "In that day God will return to Mount Zion and dwell among his people (8:3), whom he will gather from their exile east and west. The nations will stream to Jerusalem to worship Yahweh (8:20-23). Zechariah gives Yahweh's admonition to speak the truth to one another to this future, restored remnant of God's people." Beale and Carson D. That is fulfilled in Christ. Jn. 1:14 – And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. E. So, God is restoring his people in order to speak the truth. 1. The truth of the gospel. III. Why Speak the Truth? A. According to Paul, because we are members of each other. 1. He goes back here to the imagery of the body. 2. It is considered insane for a part of the body to hurt another part of the body on purpose. "Body integrity dysphoria … is a disorder characterized by a desire to be disabled or discomfort with being able-bodied beginning in early adolescence and resulting in harmful consequences." Wikipedia B. Because lying is characteristic of Satan, not God. Jn. 8:44 – You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. Jer. 10:10 – But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth will tremble, and the nations will not be able to endure His indignation. D. Because truth is in Jesus, 4:21 "Because our Lord is himself the truth, his body must reflect the truth. Because each member belongs to the rest, the fellowship of the church will be marked by a refreshing openness." Skevington Wood E. Because lies destroy relationships. Pro. 25:18 – A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow. F. Because God commands us not to lie. Ex. 20:16 – You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. IV. How Does Putting away Falsehood and Putting on Speaking the Truth Look like in Practice? A. One thing that our translation doesn't let through is that Paul says "speak THE truth." Jn. 14:6 – Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 2. Speak what is true about Jesus. a. The biblically accurate gospel. b. Rejecting what is false. c. The reason for that is that these are life and death issues. 3. Speaking the gospel to one another is really the ultimate way to build up the body of Christ. B. Speak what is true to one another – here our catechism will help us. 1. Question 144 of the Westminster Larger Catechism asks, "What are the duties required in the ninth commandment?" 2. The answer is broad and helpful because the ninth commandment actually teaches a lot about telling the truth. a. The ninth commandment requires us to preserve and promote truth between man and man – truth is not something that we live with, but something we are. b. The ninth commandment requires us to preserve and promote the good name of our neighbor, as well as our own – we want people around us to look good. c. The ninth commandment requires us to appear and stand for the truth – we speak up, we don't stay quiet. d. The ninth commandment requires us to speak the truth and only the truth in matters of judgment and justice and in all other things from the heart, sincerely, freely, clearly, and fully – we are to believe what is true. e. The ninth commandment requires us to have a charitable esteem of our neighbors – we think the best of those around us. f. The ninth commandment requires us to love, desire, and rejoice in our neighbors' good name – we are happy with the success, the blessings, the good that happens in the lives of those around us. g. The ninth commandment requires us to sorrow for and cover of their infirmities – we don't rejoice on bad things that happen to those around us. h. The ninth commandment requires us to freely acknowledge of their gifts and graces, to defend their innocence – we fight for the brethren. i. The ninth commandment requires us a ready receiving of a good report, and unwillingness to admit of an evil report, concerning them – we protect the brethren. j. The ninth commandment requires us to discourage gossipers, flatterers, and slanderers – we put down lies and we don't lie ourselves. k. The ninth commandment requires us to love and care of our own good name, and defend it when need requires. l. The ninth commandment requires us to keep of lawful promises – we are people who keep our word. m. The ninth commandment requires us to learn and practice of whatever is true, honest, lovely, and of good report. Communication that builds up really starts with those closest to us, which is usually our family. We tend to think that these things should mark our relationships out there, which they should, but this also must mark our closest relationships. · A husband who speaks truthfully and lovingly with his wife, surrounding all his communication with her with the gospel of Jesus Christ. · A wife who loves her husband in truth by the grace of God. · Parents whose lips are so filled with the truth of God that they come gushing out of their mouths into their kids. · Kids who are so entranced with the gospel in their hearts that it dominates all their speech. · A brother whose only concern is that the brethren know the truth so that he lives according to that truth. · A sister whose desire to see the One who is ultimate truth magnified is so intense that she makes her whole life a reflection of that truth so that those around her are built up.
That's what speaking the truth to each other because we are members of each other look like.
http://olympiabp.blogspot.com/2019/10/speaking-truth-eph-425.html
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