125 of 365 - Grace & Truth

…And we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14b
 
John continues with the Word – Jesus, the Son of God – now dwelling among us.

…and we have seen His GLORY…The glory of God no longer dwelling behind the unapproachable temple curtain. Now a living, breathing, walking, human tabernacle with no separation.
 
…glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of GRACE and TRUTH.
 
Grace: Unearned or undeserving kindness and favor. Unmerited mercy. Receiving something beautiful we don’t deserve and couldn’t get on our own.
 
Truth: That which is, has been, or shall be. True state of facts or things.
 
Scholar G. Campbell Morgan says, “God is grace and truth. Not one without the other. Not the other apart from the one. In His government there can be no lowering of the simple and severe standard of truth, and there is no departure from the purpose and possession of grace.”

Grace without truth corrupts and leads to a false license to keep sinning. Truth without grace condemns and fosters legalism.


Jesus came to show us how both coexist. He shows us in how He lives, and He shows us in how He dies. Truth: sin carries a penalty of death. Grace: Jesus takes that penalty for us. A convergence to come on the cross.

Jesus comes fully God and fully human, and Jesus comes full of grace and full of truth.
 
Questions: Does the idea that Jesus is both grace and truth help you understand why He had to come, and why He had to die for us? Which part do you think people struggle the most with: grace or truth? Why?