What happens if you teach people without love, patience, and understanding?
Without love, patience, and understanding, people become upset and angry. Approaching them with harsh judgment closes their minds, but love, patience, and understanding avoid offense without compromising truth. Paul exemplifies this spirit of love, which applies to all of us.
Les explains that without an attitude of love, patience, and understanding, people will get upset and become angry. He acknowledges that some in his audience might react that way, but he trusts the Lord's sovereign direction. He shares a letter from a Minnesota lady who watched him and said that even though she disagreed with some things and came from a different background, he never offended her. Les says this is his whole goal: to say things contrary to what people have been taught without causing offense, exactly as Paul came in the spirit of love. This applies to all believers. When approaching someone who may be hell-bound, do not bluntly tell them they will go to hell, because that closes their mind immediately. Instead, approach with love, patience, and understanding, while not compromising the truth. He then moves on to discuss the gift of prophecy.