“For the Law was given through Moses; Grace and Truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).
What is the Law? The Law is the set of commandments by which we shall live without offense before God. As it was given to the Isrealites, the Law was like a manual for humans living in a fallen world. It considered the various areas by which offences would come and provided a way for justice to prevail. According to this Law, the penalty for disobedience and sin is death, a just recompense to God, against whom the offence was ultimately committed.
What is the Truth? The Truth is that we can never measure up to the Law! It is humanly impossible. Even if we technically met the literal requirements of all the commandments, we would still fall short in Love, which is the greatest of all the commandments and the sum thereof! Love isn’t legalistic, and this is where we are all caught out! Many people who legalistically follow the Law lack the traits of love, which include humility, compassion and forgiveness. The fullness of Truth is that, more than the Law, we need God’s Spirit to be righteous. Jesus came to make the Spirit of Truth available to us (John 16:7).
What is Grace? Grace is a two-fold provision and expression of God’s love! Grace is mercy and favour, a gift of God that liberates us from the curse of the Law (being that no one can live up to its demands) and empowers us to live by the Spirit of the Law (which is Love, the fulfillment of the Law). First we are pardoned, then we are empowered to fulfil the Law, not by our own righteous works but by the transformative work of God’s indwelling Spirit. The evidence that the grace of God is active in our lives is the fruit of Love…the fruit of the Spirit.
“the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Gal 5:22-23).
If we know the Truth about our nature, we ought to be humble and thirst for His righteous nature. Knowing that we are not qualified in ourselves, we seek the qualification and justification only God can give, by accepting His gracious pardon through Jesus Christ. If we have received His Grace, we ought also to be gracious. If we know the Law, that it is fulfilled in Love, then we ought to practice love and teach others about love. We should lead others to its Source, so that they too may be delivered from condemnation, and experience joy, peace and liberty in His presence!
“where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Cor 3:17).
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Categories: The Latest, True Religion
Grace and Truth 
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
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Muchos gracias!
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De nada 🙂
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“Jesus came to make the Spirit of Truth available to us (John 16:7)” Your words.
“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you”. (John 16:7) – Jesus’ words.
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Hi Dan,
Thanks for commenting. What is the problem with what I wrote?
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Maybe just the way we look at things. I would never say Jesus came to make the Holy Spirit available. Can’t find a passage to support that thought. I can find in scripture that Jesus came to save his people from their sins (the Angel to Joseph). That means that Jesus came first and foremost to die in our place. God poured out his wrath on his own Son in our stead so that those who believe in the Son can be declared righteous before a Holy God. The Holy Spirit was given to be ‘another comforter’ for believers and to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. We receive the Holy Spirit when we believe and are placed ‘in’ Christ.
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Yes, I guess it is the way we look at things. It is also the way the Lord teaches us. We will not always learn the whys, hows or what at the same time, because He takes us through different paths.
This post shares my understanding on grace, truth and the law. Some of these things I knew years ago, and the last few pieces that fell into place for me caused me to put the post together.
Saying that Jesus came to make the Holy Spirit available to us is an understanding of the gospel as a whole message and not a translation of any bible verse, which you have stated is lacking. I am not saying that that is all Jesus came to do. Or that it was even His objective A. There are many things Jesus said He came to do:
Not in any order, but
1. He came to release the captives
2. He came to cause division
3. He came that we may have abundant life
4. He came to take away the sins of the world
5. He came to call sinners to repentance
The list must go on and on.
If you follow my writing, I first pointed out the truth, which is that observance to the law was insufficient to make us righteous. Jesus had to come to reconcile us to God. That involved Him dying on the cross. But it wasn’t enough for Him to come and die… Only after His sacrifice would the Holy Spirit ministry begin for believers…this is the empowerment we need to live by God’s Law of Love… this is our seal of righteousness and a very key reason that Jesus came. For me to say that He came for the reason that we may have have God’s spirit to empower us to live righteously was just a short-way of saying what I’ve said now.
I don’t know if that satisfies you, but I hope it helps anyone else reading who may have had a similar question.
Cheers, Ufuoma.
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