Love Rejoices In The Truth

By Joe Slater       Immediately after saying that love doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, Paul wrote that it does rejoice in the truth (1 Corinthians 13:6). This shouldn’t surprise us since our God is “a God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He” (Deuteronomy 32:4).     Paul himself exemplified the love that rejoices in the truth. Though under house arrest in Rome, he continued proclaiming the gospel even to his captors, and he knew other brethren were evangelizing also. Some had corrupt motives, but “whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice” (Philippians 1:18). Christ’s gospel is truth, and Paul rejoiced in it being preached.     John the apostle also rejoiced in the truth. He told the “elect lady,” “I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father” (2 John 4). Along the same line he wrote to Gaius, “I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth” (3 John 3-4). Christian parents rejoice when children in their earthly families walk in the truth (i.e. obey the gospel and serve God faithfully). Let’s rejoice when others we’ve led to Christ are walking in the truth or, for that matter, any time we see anyone walking in the truth.     The ungodly “suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18). That is, they hold it back, hindering it from advancing. We must promote the truth vigorously and constantly, rejoicing in its progress.

- Joe Slater serves as minister of the Church of Christ in Justin, TX. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://justinchurchofchrist.com