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Truth and love – two heads of the same coin.

• Ephesians 4:15 (NKJV) – but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—
• The truth should lead to love – 1 Peter 1:22 (NLT) – You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.

First – lovers of truth are seekers of truth.

• 2 Timothy 2:15 (NKJV) – Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Why then is cancel culture so prevalent?

• Because lawlessness hates truth – 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 (NKJV) – The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, ¹⁰ and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
• The enemy is a bully – 1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV) – Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
• And people don’t always want truth – 2 Timothy 4:3-4a (NKJV) – For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; ⁴ and they will turn their ears away from the truth …

Love must be involved when speaking truth to others.

• We still are to preach truth even when someone doesn’t like it – 2 Timothy 4:2 (NKJV) – Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching
• Nobody likes to be corrected – Hebrews 12:11 (NLT) – No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
• It’s God’s love and kindness that leads people to change – Romans 2:4 (NIV) – Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

Believers are called to come into agreement on truth.

• God’s plan will prevail! Man’s plans will fail – Proverbs 19:21.
• But the Church must start walking in unison – Matthew 18:19-20 (NKJV) – “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
• We must learn how to be courageous enough to speak the truth into our society yet, at the same time, be graceful enough to speak it with love.  This is our soapbox.

* The message corresponding to this post is under “media” on this site – dhfirstag.org – and is available on Monday