Correcting/Speaking The Truth In Love.


Love is not vague or abstract, love is practical in dealing with issues. 
One of the characteristics of love mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13:6 is that love does not rejoice in iniquity but rejoices in the truth.
Love is thus not blind to iniquity, wrongs & falsehood but very discerning to distinguish between good and evil. 

If we cannot discern/tell what is the truth and distinguish it from a lie then we're of all men most confused. 
Concerning speaking the truth or correcting in love and not in anger, we often fail to see the jealousy, anger and wrath of love. 
We often think love is anything that sounds good, positive, sweet/nice/smooth words. This preconceived notion is the reason why the hearts of the simple/undiscerning are easily deceived for when we think that whatever sounds nice, gentle, sweet and smooth must be love speaking we are already prone/open to deception.
Romans 16:18  For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.


The truth is love can be offensive, rebuking with very severe and harsh words. 
If you listen to Jesus rebuke the church in Sardis telling them that they have a name that they are living but they are dead, you would most naturally judge that it is not love speaking. 
How could he say the church is dead and that still be love speaking?
How could he say to the church in Laodicea you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked?  Revelation 3:1,17.

Now you might say but that's Jesus however scripture is replete with such examples from Peter, Paul etc.
Peter speaking to address the error of Ananias and Sapphira with very harsh words of judgment which even led to their death, naturally does not look like love at all yet it was the direct expression of the jealousy and wrath of God who is love, in guarding and protecting the purity of the oneness of soul and heart which the church had in  the fellowship of ministering to the needs of one another.

What about Paul expressing the jealousy and wrath of God(love) in delivering Hymaneus and Alexander unto satan that they might learn not to blaspheme and not to continue teaching error and overthrowing the faith of some saints? 1 Timothy 1:19-20; 2 Timothy 2:16-18.

Lastly when Paul expressed Godly jealousy and wrath by saying that whoever(no matter how highly placed spiritually, even if it is we the apostles or an angel) that comes to pervert the gospel of Christ/preach another gospel let him be accursed, does that sound like love?
Can't you see the purity of the expression in the fact that he himself is not exempted, the jealousy and wrath he is expressing is not his but the jealousy and wrath of love which hates lies/deception to the hilt.
We are called not just to believe in Christ and preach him but also to strive together for the faith of the gospel and to earnestly contend for the faith once delivered unto the saints.

Galatians 1
6  I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
 7  Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
 8  But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
 9  As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

2 Corinthians 11
2  For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
 3  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
 4  For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

13  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
 14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
 15  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Philippians 1
27  Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
 28  And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.

Jude 
3  Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
 4  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.


Ephesians 4
14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 
15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

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