A battle between truth and love is raging in our culture. Pitted against each other like bitter rivals in a boxing match, truth and love have some Christians choosing the side of one over the other as if they were spectators witnessing an epic fight.
Each side has fans that take blows at the other—often in an attempt to prove they are more Christ-like than their counterparts. The I’m-a-Christian-but-I’m-not-like-those-other-Christians mentality is running rampant and smacks of pride that is neither loving nor truthful.
However, truth and love shouldn’t be adversaries. Consider 1 Corinthians 13:6, “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” Ignoring truth that is plainly revealed in the Bible and choosing to delight in evil is not love.
Yet we cannot forget what 1 Corinthians 13:5 says about love, “It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” Angrily spewing one’s beliefs to anyone who will listen doesn’t properly convey the truth in the Bible.
I believe it’s easy to take sides in the truth versus love debate because we all have a natural bent toward one over the other due to personality and life experience. Admittedly, I have a passion for truth, but as a Christian, I’m never excused from being loving. Christians who more naturally love others are never exempt from upholding truth.
Recognizing each person has a natural bent toward truth or love will help us keep a balanced perspective if we’re willing to listen and learn from each other. Discussion and debate will only strengthen our faith. As Proverbs 27:17 states, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”
Christians cannot ignore truth in order to love, and we must love in order to convey truth. We don’t have to take sides in the truth versus love battle because truth and love are ultimately on the same side.