Ephesians (W7D5) Growth in Every Way
Week 7. Friday: Growth in Every Way
PRAY: Ask God to speak to you from His Word.
READ: Ephesians 4:15-16
15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
UNDERSTAND: get a deeper understanding of the key words
Speaking the Truth in Love (Greek: alētheuō agapē): to teach or profess truth
Believers must always live out of truth. There is no other way.
Truth must come out of genuine love for those we speak to and teach.
Telling the truth is not always pleasant (see Galatians 4:12-20).
Grow (Greek: auxanō): literally grow up, to inwardly increase spiritually
The harsh truth: if we’re not growing, we’re dying.
As we seek God, He brings growth (see 2 Corinthians 9:10).
Every Respect (Greek: pas): in all things both individually and collectively
Joined (Greek: synarmologeō): fitted, framed closely together
Held Together (Greek: symbibazō): to knit together for a divine purpose
As we speak the truth in love, we will grow closer together in every way.
Christ, being the head of the church, accomplishes this divine unity.
APPLY: What is this passage calling me to do?
Speaking the truth in love is not easy by any means. However, it is necessary for believers to live by the truth and speak truth to each other. Even though this can be very difficult, it may save someone from a deadly sin and a multitude of consequences. We must be willing to suffer temporary discomfort for the greater purpose of building up our fellow believers.
Has anyone ever spoken seemingly harsh truth to you? How did you respond?
Is there anyone in your life that you need to speaking truth into?
Read James 5:19-20 and think about what is at stake.
PRAY: Ask God to help you grow as you learn to live by the truth.
