John Piper is at it again! He has the most wonderful insight, bringing the Lord right into our very hearts. Today, he replaces the words 'education' and 'relation' with 'truth' and 'love' and draws from scripture to illustrate how closely the two are related.
Read Education and Relation: Truth and Love, by John Piper of Desiring God at One Place.
"Think with me for a moment about education and relationships. Some of you care deeply that education not ignore or marginalize relationships of love. They are essential in real, lasting, life-changing education. Amen.
"So I turn to the Bible. I find in place of the words, "education" and "relationship," the words, "truth" and "love." So what does the Bible say about how truth and love relate to each other? There are at least four ways of talking about this relationship."
Truth Aims at Love
But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
1 Timothy 1:5
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;
24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,
25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:23-25
Love Aims at Truth
[Love] does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
1 Corinthians 13:16
For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you.
2 Corinthians 2:4
Love Shapes How to Speak the Truth
but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,
Ephesians 4:15
24 The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged,
25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,
2 Timothy 2:24-25
Truth Shapes How to Show Love
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments.
1 John 5:2
"One truth test for our love is whether we are keeping the commandments of God toward people. In other words, love cannot be cut loose from the truth of God's will. Truth shapes how to show love.
"Let us pray that God will cause his love and truth to abound and mingle in us in all these ways for the glory of his truth-filled love and love-filled truth."
Aye, John Piper, Let Us Pray!
