"Am I Become Your Enemy Because I Tell You The Truth?"
The apostle Paul once asked the question of the Galatians, "Am I become your enemy because I tell you the truth?" Gal. 4:16. Paul didn't desire to be their enemy; in fact, he wanted to be their friend, and was indeed their friend. but the only way he could lay valid claim on being their friend was to tell them the truth. If he had told them anything other than the truth, more than the truth, or less than the truth, then he would have been their enemy.
Whenever members of the Lord's church stand up for definitive truth, and against error, they can expect opposition and resentment. Read the book of Acts and see what happened in Paul's case. Everywhere he went he stirred people up. As a result, hostilities were manifested. Read Acts 13:50; 14:19; 16:19ff; 17:32a; 21:27ff; 22:22ff; 23:7-10; 12ff; and 26:24; 23ff; and 2 Cor. 11:24-28.
But brethren, we just as well admit it - WE'RE NOT STIRRING MANY PEOPLE UP IN THIS DAY AND TIME! And the reason why is because we are not aggressively preaching and teaching the truth, and contrasting it with error, as we should be doing. When we do, we will once again cause a "stir," and that's when the cause of Christ flourishes. It is not a matter of being "mean or ugly" in our presentation of truth. That is uncalled for and wrong! But even when we present "truth in love," if we're plain and bold enough, it will stir people up.
When threatened, the apostles prayed to God for courage to preach God's word "with all boldness." Acts 4:29. And that is precisely what the church needs to be doing today - preaching the word of God with all boldness! We need to tell it like it is, fervently, incisively, explicitly, yet in kindness and love. We dare not do less! Let the chips fall as they may.
--Maxie Boren