Malachi
Member
- Nov 6, 2014
- 2,232
- 503
John 1:14-18
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.
15John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
16And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
17For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
18No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
The Bible says that the Incarnate Word was "full of grace and truth", and that "grace and truth came by Jesus Christ". Grace is the infinite love and mercy of God to undeserving sinners, and solely on the merits of Christ and His perfect work of redemption. There is not a soul who is exempt from God's grace. Those who forfeit His grace do so of their own volition. Truth is that which is eternally true because it is God's Truth. It encompasses the Truth about man, about God, about sin, about Satan, about Heaven and about Hell, and a multitude of other spiritual things.
But God's Truth can often be unpalatable to both saint and sinner, and therefore it is either watered down or neglected altogether. However, if we are to be true to the Gospel and the "whole counsel of God" we must proclaim God's truth whether we are praised or reviled, whether it is accepted or rejected. We are to also exhibit grace in all our dealings.
The issue today is that Truth is being seriously undermined and false gospels of grace are being proclaimed. There are millions who believe they are Christians but have never been born again. There are probably thousands of sinners who have been saved, but never been baptized as believers. There are scores of those who have been saved and baptized, but never discipled and taught the balance between grace and truth. The balance of grace and truth must be maintained by all who call themselves Christians, since Christ is the epitome of this balance. Do you maintain this balance consciously?
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.
15John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
16And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
17For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
18No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
The Bible says that the Incarnate Word was "full of grace and truth", and that "grace and truth came by Jesus Christ". Grace is the infinite love and mercy of God to undeserving sinners, and solely on the merits of Christ and His perfect work of redemption. There is not a soul who is exempt from God's grace. Those who forfeit His grace do so of their own volition. Truth is that which is eternally true because it is God's Truth. It encompasses the Truth about man, about God, about sin, about Satan, about Heaven and about Hell, and a multitude of other spiritual things.
But God's Truth can often be unpalatable to both saint and sinner, and therefore it is either watered down or neglected altogether. However, if we are to be true to the Gospel and the "whole counsel of God" we must proclaim God's truth whether we are praised or reviled, whether it is accepted or rejected. We are to also exhibit grace in all our dealings.
The issue today is that Truth is being seriously undermined and false gospels of grace are being proclaimed. There are millions who believe they are Christians but have never been born again. There are probably thousands of sinners who have been saved, but never been baptized as believers. There are scores of those who have been saved and baptized, but never discipled and taught the balance between grace and truth. The balance of grace and truth must be maintained by all who call themselves Christians, since Christ is the epitome of this balance. Do you maintain this balance consciously?