Malcolm Cox

Introduction - Healthy unity depends on two things — truthfulness and grace in Christian relationships. An overemphasis on truth leads to a culture of judgment. An overemphasis on grace leads to a culture of sentimentalism. - Jesus came ‘…full of grace and truth.‘ John 1:14. Our congregations will be healthily unified if we imitate him and develop a culture of truth-speaking and grace-giving. - - - Truth-Speaking “These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts;” (Zechariah 8:16 NIV11) - A vision of a healthy future for God’s people post-exile “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” (Ephesians 4:15 NIV11) “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbour, for we are all members of one body.” (Ephesians 4:25 NIV11) - Has truth-telling been a problem in the Ephesian church?  Matthew 18:15–20 - What is the goal?