When Love Divorces Doctrine and Unity Rejects Truth

The importance of truth. Truth is supreme to love, because love can be false. Here is a great article by Dr Whitcomb on this. The rest of the article can be read here. Click on the button label PDF. 

When Love Divorces Doctrine and Unity Rejects Truth

A Response to End-Time Ecumenism

By DR. JOHN C. WHITCOMB

President, Whitcomb Ministries, Inc.

It is evident that leading neoevangelicals believe that our main goal is to eliminate doctrinal distinctives and to emphasize unity among those claiming to be believers.

One of the basic ideas of today’s philosophy of ecumenical evangelism is that love is more important than doctrine. Ecumenical evangelists say that doctrine divides, whereas love unifies. What does the Bible say? Is it true that in the New Testament love is more important than doctrine, or truth?

In the so-called “love chapter,” we are told: “Now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love [agape]” (1 Cor. 13:13). Some say – “That settles it: love is supreme!” But when we examine this chapter more carefully, we discover that truth is also mentioned. In v. 6 we are told that love “rejoices in the truth.” In other words, faith, hope and love are virtues, but truth has an altogether different status. It is the frame of reference, the foundation, the atmosphere without which virtues such as love cannot exist at all.

Love “rejoices in the truth.” Why? Because without truth to define, interpret, protect, guide and channel it, love can become a total disaster. We dare not place truth on the same level as virtues. Virtues would shrivel up and die if it were not for truth.

Here is an example from the natural world. We cannot imagine life on this planet without water. Water is absolutely essential for life – as long as it stays within proper channels, such as canals, aqueduct and pipes. But when water gets out of control, it is the second greatest catastrophe that can happen to this planet – second only to fire. On the one hand, it is an absolute blessing, but on the other hand it can be a total disaster. So it is with love.