September 16 - LD 37, Day 7: Speaking the Truth in Love

Ephesians 4:25 - “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.”

We stand before the oath as those who are in Christ Jesus, Who Himself said of His calling and office, Heb 10:9 "…I come to do thy will, O God..." Our view of the oath, therefore, is a view through special eyes and from a special place. We are the redeemed. We have our citizenship in heaven. That governs what we say and do, and what we don't say and do. That is true in public life, where the oath is necessary because of the power of Satan's influence. We, of all people, are able to take an oath in God's name; for we are His. But in the Church, it is because we are in Christ Jesus that the oath ought have no place. We are called always to speak the truth in love.

As Christians, our whole life is an oath. Each word and each action as a child of God is just as weighty as an oath. When at marriage, a husband promises to love and to honor, or wife promises to submit and assist, and both to live faithfully according to God’s Word, that is just as weighty as an oath. We represent God's name in those callings. We represent God’s name in everything we do, and in every station of life. Our lives, therefore, are to be lives which faithfully represent the glory of our God in truth.

Then we are reminded too that the only way we speak the truth in love is by the Holy Spirit of Christ our Savior living in our hearts. After all, we have failed, too many times to count, to live before God's face in holiness and truth. While the holiness of God demands the death of all those who violate even in the least degree one of His commandments, the weight of His wrath fell upon His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who took our punishment upon Himself. Let us, then, who have failed faithfully to perform our vows, come and reverently bow before Him Who caused all our unrighteousness to be borne by Christ. Then we shall express our gratitude to God and live to His glory.