Embracing Truth and Love in Our Lives

Summary

What a joy it is to pause and reflect on all that God has done in our midst this year. We’ve welcomed new leaders, seen our youth and children grow through camps and ministries, and witnessed God’s faithfulness in tangible ways—new members, record attendance, and many baptisms. Our vision remains clear: to help every person experience real life in Christ by knowing God, finding freedom, discovering purpose, and making a difference. Each of these areas is alive and active in our church, from new ministries and small groups to outreach events like Winshape, where we intentionally reach those outside our walls. It’s humbling to see how God is using us, and we give Him all the glory.

As we turn to God’s Word, we find ourselves in 2 John, a brief but powerful letter that reminds us of the essential balance between truth and love. Life often demands balance, but nowhere is this more challenging than in our relationships and convictions. Many of us face situations—sometimes with family or close friends—where we must hold fast to biblical truth while also loving deeply. The temptation is to lean too far in one direction: truth without love becomes harsh and legalistic, while love without truth becomes empty and hypocritical. Jesus, however, models a different way. He embodies both truth and love fully, never sacrificing one for the other.

We see this in His interactions: with the woman caught in adultery, He neither condemns nor condones, but calls her to a new life. With the rich young ruler, He speaks hard truth but does so with love. Even with the Pharisees, His rebuke is aimed at awakening, not destroying. The call for us is not to find a 50-50 compromise, but to be 100% committed to both truth and love. This is not easy, and none of us do it perfectly. But as we look to Jesus, we find both our example and our strength. We are not meant to walk this path alone; as a church, we support and pray for one another as we seek to represent Christ well in a world desperate for both truth and love.

Key Takeaways

- Truth without love leads to legalism and shame. When we wield truth as a weapon, we forget our own need for grace and create environments where people hide their struggles out of fear. Even if we are “right,” if we lack love, our words become noise rather than healing. God calls us to remember our own forgiveness and to let love guide our application of truth. [49:50]

- Love without truth results in hypocrisy and confusion. When love is defined by personal preference rather than God’s standard, it loses its meaning and can even enable harm. True love does not ignore or excuse sin but seeks the best for others, which sometimes means speaking hard truths. Without truth, our love becomes sentimental and ultimately unhelpful. [55:18]

- The balance between truth and love is not a matter of compromise, but of fullness. We are not called to give half of each, but to be fully committed to both—100% truth and 100% love. This mirrors the way Christ loves us: He never dilutes truth to make us comfortable, nor withholds love to make a point. Our relationships and witness are strongest when we hold both together. [58:08]

- Jesus is our perfect example of truth and love in action. In every encounter, He embodies both—calling out sin, offering forgiveness, and always seeking restoration. Whether with the broken, the proud, or the lost, He never sacrifices one for the other. As we face our own complex situations, we look to Him for wisdom and courage to do the same. [01:00:57]

- We are not meant to navigate these challenges alone. The call to truth and love is demanding, and we all have situations that stretch us. God has given us the church to support, pray, and walk with one another as we seek to live this out. When we struggle, we can lean on each other and on Christ, trusting that He will guide us as we represent Him in the world. [01:03:47]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[25:37] - Church Family Updates & New Staff
[28:17] - Celebrating God’s Work: Mid-Year Highlights
[35:50] - Giving Thanks and Prayer for the Church
[37:08] - The Need for Balance in Life
[39:40] - Introduction to 2 John: Context and Purpose
[42:05] - Truth and Love: The Tension We Face
[43:33] - Real-Life Examples of Truth and Love in Conflict
[45:36] - The Dangers of Truth Without Love
[47:21] - Jesus and the Woman Caught in Adultery
[49:50] - Legalism, Shame, and the Need for Love
[51:14] - The Dangers of Love Without Truth
[55:18] - Eli’s Example: Love That Ignores Truth
[57:03] - Rethinking Balance: 100% Truth, 100% Love
[58:08] - Scriptural Foundations for Truth and Love
[01:00:57] - Jesus: The Embodiment of Truth and Love
[01:03:47] - Responding Together: Prayer and Support
[01:06:50] - Communion, Baptism, and Living Out Truth and Love
[01:08:00] - Closing Blessing and Dismissal

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Truth and Love (2 John 1:1-6)

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### Bible Reading

- 2 John 1:1-6
- John 8:1-11 (Jesus and the woman caught in adultery)
- 1 Corinthians 13:1-7 (The way of love)

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### Observation Questions

1. In 2 John 1:1-6, what two qualities does John repeatedly emphasize as essential for the church to walk in?
2. According to John 8:1-11, how does Jesus respond to the woman caught in adultery, and what does He say to her accusers?
3. In 1 Corinthians 13:1-7, what does Paul say about the value of truth or knowledge without love?
4. The sermon mentioned that truth without love leads to legalism and shame. What are some signs of this kind of environment in a church or family? [[49:50]]

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### Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think John, in his short letter, chooses to focus so much on the balance of truth and love? What might have been happening in the church that made this necessary? [[39:40]]
2. The sermon described Jesus as never sacrificing truth for love or love for truth. Why is it so difficult for us to do the same in our relationships? [[48:39]]
3. When Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13 that “if I have all knowledge…but have not love, I am nothing,” what does this say about the way we should approach disagreements or correction within the church? [[51:14]]
4. The example of Eli and his sons (1 Samuel 2, referenced in the sermon) shows the danger of love without truth. How can “love” become harmful if it ignores or excuses sin? [[55:18]]

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### Application Questions

1. Think of a relationship in your life where you struggle to balance truth and love. What is one specific step you could take this week to move toward being 100% committed to both, rather than sacrificing one for the other? [[43:33]]
2. The sermon said that truth without love creates environments of shame, where people hide their struggles. Have you ever experienced this? How can you help create a culture of grace and honesty in your family, small group, or church? [[49:50]]
3. On the other hand, love without truth can lead to confusion and even enable harm. Is there a situation where you have avoided speaking the truth out of fear of conflict or hurting someone’s feelings? What would it look like to lovingly speak truth in that situation? [[55:18]]
4. Jesus is our example of holding both truth and love together. Which of His interactions (with the woman caught in adultery, the rich young ruler, Zacchaeus, or the Pharisees) do you relate to most right now? Why? [[01:00:57]]
5. The sermon challenged us to be “100% truth and 100% love,” not a 50-50 compromise. What does this look like practically in your daily life? Are there areas where you tend to lean more toward one than the other? [[58:08]]
6. The pastor said we are not meant to walk this path alone, and that the church is here to support and pray for one another. Is there a situation you need prayer for, or someone you can support this week as they try to live out truth and love? [[01:03:47]]
7. When you think about representing Christ in a world “desperate for both truth and love,” what is one way you can be a light in your workplace, school, or neighborhood this month? [[01:02:46]]

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Close in prayer, asking God for wisdom, courage, and grace to live out both truth and love in every relationship and situation.

Devotional

Day 1: Truth and Love: The Christian’s Essential Balance
Walking in the way of Jesus means holding both truth and love together, not sacrificing one for the other, but embodying both fully in every relationship and circumstance. In a world that often pits truth against love, followers of Christ are called to a higher standard—one that refuses to weaponize truth or dilute love, but instead seeks to reflect the heart of Jesus, who was both uncompromisingly truthful and radically loving. This balance is not a 50-50 split, but a 100-100 commitment, where we anchor ourselves in God’s truth while extending His love, even in the most complicated situations. [58:08]

2 John 1:1-6 (ESV)
The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth, because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever: Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love. I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.

Reflection: Where in your life do you tend to lean more toward truth or more toward love, and what would it look like to bring both fully into a specific relationship or situation this week?


Day 2: Truth Without Love Leads to Legalism and Harm
When we cling to truth but neglect love, we risk becoming harsh, self-righteous, and even legalistic—forgetting our own need for grace and mercy. This approach can wound others and create environments of shame, where being “right” is valued over relationship, and people are pushed away rather than drawn to Christ. God’s Word warns that even if we are correct in our doctrine or actions, without love, our words and deeds become empty noise, lacking the power to truly transform or heal. [49:50]

1 Corinthians 13:1-2 (ESV)
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

Reflection: Think of a time when you were “right” but lacked love—how could you approach a similar situation differently now, ensuring your truth is always delivered with Christlike compassion?


Day 3: Love Without Truth Breeds Hypocrisy and Relativism
Elevating love above truth, or redefining love apart from God’s standard, leads to confusion, hypocrisy, and a lowering of moral standards—where anything goes as long as it feels loving. Without the anchor of God’s truth, our attempts at love can become enabling, permissive, or even complicit in harm, as seen in the story of Eli and his sons. True love does not ignore sin or compromise on what is right; it seeks the good of others by holding fast to God’s ways, even when it’s difficult. [55:18]

1 Samuel 2:12, 22, 29 (ESV)
Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the Lord… Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting… Why then do you scorn my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded for my dwelling, and honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?

Reflection: Is there someone you are tempted to “love” by ignoring a hard truth? How can you prayerfully bring both honesty and care into that relationship this week?


Day 4: Jesus: The Perfect Model of Truth and Love
Jesus alone perfectly embodied both truth and love, never compromising either, whether confronting sin, extending forgiveness, or calling people to repentance. In every encounter—from the woman caught in adultery, to the rich young ruler, to the Pharisees—Jesus spoke the truth boldly but always with a heart to restore, not to destroy. As His followers, we are called to look to Him as our example and inspiration, seeking His wisdom and Spirit to guide us in our own complex relationships and decisions. [01:00:57]

John 8:10-11 (ESV)
Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to look to Jesus’ example for how to respond with both truth and love, and what step can you take today to follow His lead?


Day 5: Living Out Truth and Love Together in Community
We are not meant to navigate the tension of truth and love alone; God calls us to walk this out together as His church, supporting, praying for, and encouraging one another as we face real-life challenges. By being honest about our struggles and seeking help from others, we reflect Christ’s light to the world and become a community where both truth and love flourish. As we do this, we point others to Jesus—the One who is both truth and love—and invite them to experience real life in Him. [01:04:38]

Ephesians 4:15-16 (ESV)
Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Reflection: Who in your church family or circle could you reach out to for prayer or support as you seek to live out truth and love—and how might you offer that same support to someone else this week?

Quotes

To borrow a phrase that is often attributed to multiple different people, most commonly it's attributed to Warren Wiersbe, the pastor and the theologian, truth without love is brutality. We've talked much recently about relativism and making sure we are anchored to the truth. Many people are unmoored from the truth, and that leaves them with the other extreme that we're going to talk about in a minute. But the pendulum swing is to wield truth like a hammer and to weaponize it. [00:45:18] (00:00:39 seconds)  #BewareLegalism Edit Clip

You may feel like, well, what does it matter so long as you are right? Right, if I'm right, it doesn't matter how you feel about it. Well, God's Word covers that too, because maybe you are right. Maybe you're 100 % right in how you are interpreting God's Word, and how you're applying it to the problem. But 1 Corinthians 13 says, If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, in other words, if I'm telling the truth, but have not love, I'm a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. [00:50:30] (00:00:28 seconds)  #TruthToldWithLoveMatters Edit Clip

I've heard it said that the most loving thing you can do for someone is to tell them the truth. Well, I get that, and I don't totally disagree, but how you tell the truth matters. See, I know a lot of noisy gongs that are really convinced that they are right, but did you know that no one goes to gong concerts? Like, no one goes to cymbals -only concerts. By itself, anchoring to the truth only is noisy and almost painful. Truth without love. Truth without love is brutality. [00:51:03] (00:00:45 seconds)  #LoveWithoutTruthIsHypocrisy Edit Clip

See, when you think balance, you get the picture of like 50 -50 or something like that where a little bit of this and a little bit of that and it kind of balances out and it's all good. But there are some things where when we think about balance, that's not quite right. Take marriage, for example. You want some free marriage advice here? I've heard people say like marriage is 50 -50. It's like we come together and we make 100%. Yo, if you've been married for more than 24 hours, it is not 50 -50. Marriage is 100 -100. [00:57:26] (00:00:33 seconds)  #NoSacrificeInTruthAndLove Edit Clip

When we encounter these impossible feeling situations in our families and in our social circles and in our lives, we often think I'm going to have to sacrifice one in order to do the other when I'm deciding whether or not to go to that wedding, a wedding I disagree with. I may feel like I have to give up some of this or give up some of that in order to make a decision. You don't. [00:59:11] (00:00:28 seconds)  #CalledToBeLight Edit Clip

There's only one person who is 100 % embodied what it means to be 100 % love and 100 % truth all the time. You know who he is? His name is Jesus. And as we navigate our complicated situations, we look to him who is both the embodiment and the inspiration. [01:00:50] (00:00:15 seconds)  #ConfessAndSurrender Edit Clip