Grace and Truth

Sometimes words just go together. Like salt and __________ (*see below for answers). Black and __________. Nice and __________. Pork and __________. Cloak and __________. Down and __________. Fish and __________. Shoes and __________. Bacon and __________. Sweet and __________. Soap and __________. Give and __________. Wait and __________. Law and __________. Bait and __________.

Grace and Truth

In the Bible, one of the words combinations that must go together is Grace and Truth. I am not sure that they naturally go together; however, since Jesus, they must go together. In life, our goal is to bring glory to God by becoming like Jesus Christ. In an effort to be like Christ, it means we must put grace and truth together. In fact, you could say it this way: grace and truth are not words that simply go together, but words we must live together.

Consider how the Apostle John describes Jesus:

And the Word became 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. (John 1:14)

According to John, he describes Jesus as full of grace and truth.

Full of Grace and Truth

What does it mean to be full of grace and truth? For some people, these are opposites. However, in Jesus Christ, these compliment each other. At the same time, Jesus was full of grace and truth – as complimentary principles.

Often we simply define grace as unmerited favor from God to us. Further unpacking grace emphasizes both the mercy and grace of God. In mercy, God chooses to not give us what we deserve. Although our sins and rebellion demanded a payment, in mercy, God allowed Jesus to be our vicarious substitute. Jesus suffered death so that we did not have to do so – mercy (Rom 5:8-9). Furthermore, God did not simply keep us from suffering under the just damnation of our sin, He also provided eternal life, a forever familial relationship with Him, the ministry of the Holy Spirit, and hope. In other words, we were not simply spared from God’s wrath which we deserved, we also enjoy the richness of God’s grace (Rom 5:15-19; Eph 2:4-7). We receive grace upon grace, the abundance of God’s kindness. God does more than withhold punishment (mercy), God provides for us so much more – grace.

In this way, Jesus was full of grace. His very disposition radiated grace.

Yet, Jesus was also full of truth.

Jesus knew and understood the holiness of God. The basic meaning of holiness is “set apart” or “separation.” Many see holiness as the foremost attribute of all because holiness pervades all the other attributes of God and is consistent with all He is and does. In His holiness God is the moral and ethical standard; He is the law. He sets the standard. Because God is morally pure, He cannot condone evil or have any relationship to it (Ps. 11:4–6).

In this way, Jesus is the standard for truth. He lived morally upright, righteous, and always holy. He lived with complete consistency between His inner man and outer man, between His heart and behavior, and between God’s righteous standards and Jesus’ fulfillment of those standards. He was full of truth.

As followers of Jesus Christ, are we full of Grace and Truth?

Our goal, as stated above, is to glorify God by becoming like Jesus Christ. As such, are we also full of grace and truth? Do we live committed to grace? Do we live committed to truth?

Question 1: Would you say that you are full of mercy and grace as you think about, observe, and interact with others?

Question 2: Would you say that you are full of holiness and truth as you go about thinking, desiring, loving, and living?

Answers from above:

*Like salt and pepper. Black and white. Nice and easy. Pork and beans. Cloak and dagger. Down and out. Fish and chips. Shoes and socks. Bacon and eggs. Sweet and sour. Soap and water. Give and take. Wait and see. Law and order. Bait and tackle or switch.