John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
Even though we may never fully understand the ‘concept of Grace,’ as the years go by, I begin to grasp this Graciousness of God bit by bit. Example: looking at the lives of our lost family members and seeing how God has given them long life despite their severe health problems, all the while knowing that this is His Love and Grace on display by giving them more time and chance to come to Him for Salvation.
Another example is by looking through our family photo albums of nearly a 30-year span of time and being able to see God’s Providential Hand throughout it all. Even during times when we were further away from Him than we should have been, the Mercy, Grace, and Love of Jesus can be detected in every snapshot.
As I grow in the Lord, I begin to see His Supreme Grace in my life through His Immense Patience all during these years of my Sanctification Process. Truth be told, it is embarrassing to realize how long it has taken for me to remove certain things that needed to be taken out of my life for so long. Grasping this makes me realize how so very grateful I am for a Savior who is not only Loving, Faithful, and Patient but is also so Full of Grace and Truth!
From gotquestions.org: “What is the relationship between grace and truth?”
There is a strong possibility that John is referencing the Hebrew terms hesed (“mercy” or “lovingkindness”) and emet (“truth” or “faithfulness”), found together in Exodus 34:6: “Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth.’” Note that the attributes of God in the Old Testament are applied to Christ in the New. At the beginning of his gospel, John is making a subtle statement regarding the divinity of Jesus. The rest of John’s gospel will expound on that truth.
It is important for grace and truth to work in tandem. An emphasis on grace alone can dissipate into a shallow and sentimental foundation where justice or truth is discarded. However, a focus only on truth can devolve into a cold, hardened dogma. Jesus’ character demonstrates the perfect balance of both grace and truth. He is “full” of both.
Grace and truth meld together in the gospel message to form a key distinction of Christianity over other religions. In all other religions, grace and truth are never balanced. Instead, the deity being worshiped either dispenses justice at the expense of grace or dispenses grace at the expense of justice and truth. Christianity is unique in that God delivers grace through His justice and truth.
The truth is, everyone has fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and deserves God’s justice. However, God’s justice is satisfied, and His truth upheld, through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. That act delivers God’s grace to those who will accept it by faith.
In this way, Christianity stands alone as an ontological faith—one that is fully dependent on a person—Jesus Christ—who perfectly balances and embodies both grace and truth in His very being. – Source
Growing up with a family member who was merciless, harsh, cruel, and ‘sociopathic’ in nature makes it even harder to wrap my mind around this concept, especially in comprehending the subject of ‘Free Grace.’ Although I sit under a pastor that teaches Free Grace and follow one on YouTube who also teaches Free Grace, it is still sometimes hard to fully grasp.
The understanding is that God is ‘way beyond gracious’ to us in so many ‘thousands of ways’; but not surprisingly my mind tends to be hardwired to the stricter/sterner (Justice) side of God. The main attribute that may help someone like me in understanding the balance of these two sides of Grace and Truth is in the Holiness of God. Almighty God is, of course, Love, Justice, and Truth, but His main attribute is Holiness.
Revelation 4:8 “And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.”
Isaiah 6:3 “And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.”
In Heaven and around the Throne of God, as we read in scripture, there are Angelic Beings and Creatures that cry “Holy, Holy, Holy” to Him day and night. Holiness embodies all the essence and attributes of His Spirit. Furthermore, we read that the Fruit of the Spirit is, Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.
Therefore, the Holiness of God is the perfect combination of Love (Grace) and Justice (Truth), even though we may have a hard time fully understanding that, because we are neither Perfect or Holy as He is. Albeit, by His Spirit, we can ‘begin to grasp’ this concept of His Holiness through Him giving us the ‘mind of Christ.’
Galatians 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
1 Corinthians 2:16 “For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”
Just the fact that we are still here to live another day is by His Grace. Jesus holds all things together; He sustains our very existence on this planet. He allows us our next breath out of His Great Mercy, even when we do not deserve it. The Love that God has for us is beyond all mortal capacity or comprehension.
People foolishly think they know about love more than God, simply by their asking the ignorant question such as, “If God is Love, then why does He allow this, that, or the other to happen in our World?” If they really knew Who, What, When, Where, and Why they were asking, they would NOT ask such presumptuous questions!
We need to realize that we are too small in every way possible to even begin to comprehend or understand the Vastness and Greatness of an All Knowing and an Almighty God! One Who not only owns all of the cattle on a thousand hills, but Who owns every single thing and every single facet in all of the entire Universe!
Colossians 1:16-17 “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”
Hebrews 1:1-3 “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
It seems the emphasis in this piece is on the fact that we truly do not know everything and that we do not have the capacity to fully comprehend all that God is. All of this is true, but what is also true is that the Word of God tells us that the “Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom.” Therefore, those who know, love, believe, and have a healthy fear/respect for God and His Word will have a measure of Wisdom and Discernment in their lives.
This is very much needed in our Age of Apostasy, because without the Fear of the Lord and His Word, we will fall prey to all of the Lies of the World, the Devil, and the Flesh! Furthermore, we are to Study and show ourselves approved unto God. Consequently, this means that we are to stick close in following Jesus Christ, Who is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” and to Obey His Commandments so we will not be Lost and without His Grace and Truth to cover us! Thank You Lord, Hallelujah!
Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”
2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Until next time… Maranatha!
JESUS = THE WAY, THE TRUTH, & THE LIFE!
Jesus Will Come!