A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON PAUL’S LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS 

SPEAK TRUTHFULLY  

Ephesians 4:25 “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor . . . ”   

Now that you wear Christ’s robes of righteousness (yesterday’s devotion,) this new life you have been given is put into action.    Through your baptism you have been re-created to be like God. Through this re-creation God has equipped you to live and speak as He desires. His Spirit guides you through His Word to live your life in accord with His will and ways.   

One aspect of your new life is that you will speak God’s words, His words of truth that will uphold your neighbor, make their life better and encourage them in their daily living. Luther’s explanation of the 8th Commandment captures what this looks like, “. . .(you) will not tell lies about your neighbor, betray him, slander him, or hurt his reputation, but defend him, speak well of him, and explain everything in the kindest way.” (Small Catechism, explanation of the 8th Commandment) 

The second aspect of your new life in Christ is you speak God’s word (The Holy Scriptures) truthfully. Your life goal will be to search the Scriptures, learn what they say, study what they mean and apply the truth of God’s word to your neighbor’s life. This is so important because as St. Paul says,   Truth is a major characteristic of your new life in Christ. In a world that uses words with many shades of meaning you will heed Jesus’ command, “All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No;’ anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” (Matthew 5:37) Jesus prayed in His High Priestly prayer to His Father in heaven, “ Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17) John writes, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.” (1 John 4:1-3) 

Prayer: Father in heaven, as Jesus prayed for me so I pray, keep me steadfast in Your word because Your word is true. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

God has spoken by His prophets, Spoken His unchanging Word;
Each from age to age proclaiming God, the one, the righteous Lord.
In the world’s despair and turmoil, One firm anchor holds us fast:
God is king, His throne eternal; God the first, and God the last. 

God has spoken by Christ Jesus, Christ, the everlasting Son,
Brightness of the Father’s glory, With the Father ever one;
Spoken by the Word Incarnate, God of God, before time was;
Light of Light, to earth descending, He reveals our God to us. 

God is speaking by His Spirit, Speaking to our hearts again,
In the ageless Word declaring His own message, now as then.
Through the rise and fall of nations One sure faith yet standing fast;
God abides, His Word unchanging; God the first, and God the last.  (LSB 583)