For most of my life I have tried to find the balance, if there is such a thing, between grace and truth. In this book, grace and truth stand side by side with one another, not in contrast or competition. Grace, which will be defined below, is one of the most marvelous words known to man. Truth is not just another word, nor is it another religious concept. Truth is the embodiment of the thoughts and intents of God. It is an expression of the personhood of Christ for God’s word tells us that he is the way, the truth, and the life. Grace and truth, in essence, are partners, working together to assist us as people to be everything God has already declared we are, but more on that later.
God is God and He will continue to be so for all of eternity. God does not change in His intentions or purposes, nor does His word. He is God and there is no other. God’s truth is the sum total of all that He is and all that He shall ever be forever and ever. Who could hope to define God? Words are insufficient to accomplish such a task; however we do know one word that attempts to enlighten us to His nature, for the word says that He is love. So what is love and how does love express the nature of God? What can we hope to learn of God from love? Well, as we will explore, it is related to grace and truth.
If God is indeed the maker of Heaven and Earth (and we know that He is) then how does God’s truth pave the way to living life fully, now and forever? Of course, the bible simply affirms that Jesus is the truth, but how do we relate to truth, recognizing that as humans we are almost constantly in violation of some aspect of truth, often suffering the consequences for not obeying the truth. In many ways, truth is, in that it is contained in all that Jesus Christ is…was…and is to come…the Almighty. 1
Truth knows no end, it has no beginning. God’s Truth attempts to define who God is, but the vastness of such a definition is too incalculable and too immense to be contained or comprehended by the mind of mortal man. However the spirit in a man can know who He is, at least in measure, if not in total. It is an experiential knowing, not one of the intellect alone.
Truth does not attempt to explain itself. It needs no explanation; it is not accountable to man. Nor is it accountable to nature. It simply is. God’s grace makes it possible for us to live out His truth. Without God’s grace we would be wholly unable to live a life in keeping with His desires.
Without His grace we would die separated eternally from God. While truth always affirms the authority and sovereignty of God, we know that God is infinitely merciful, and for those that know Him, he clothes us with His grace; what the bible calls a priestly garment of righteousness. It makes us acceptable before God, who has standards that we can only meet through His grace. When we repent of our sin, come into a correct relationship with the Lord, because of the wonderful grace of God provided through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we receive life.
Therefore we can stand before a Holy God, facing the Truth without condemnation or shame because of the garment that makes us acceptable and holy before Him. All of this is a work of Grace.
He is who He is, He will be who He will be, and He has chosen to pour out His grace and truth on all mankind in and through His son Jesus Christ.
Until next time…. Dr. Stan…..
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