06/02/2022
IS GRACE AND TRUTH ACTUALLY DIFFERENT?
LET'S FIND OUTπ
What's GRACE And TRUTH!?
Note: grace and truth doesn't mean grace plus truth!, We don't have truth that is different from Grace.
Hence trying to differentiate grace and truth to make your teaching longer and deeper is actually the beginning of error!!
Let's stay with the simplicity of the gospel!
Grace and Truth π.
John 1:14 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.
Remember: the word is a person,not just ink and paper or book!
Vs 17π
John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Above is the place most of us have always used to teach the difference between grace and truth,
A brother said to me,
"This is the time we need to stop preaching grace and start preaching the truth for that is what that will make people grow stronger"
I was like wow! Really?
My reply to him though. π
Grace and truth is the same.
Grace is a person, He is Jesus.
Truth is a person. He is Jesus.
So,
What you need for growth is exactly the same thing that got you born again.
Truth is consistent, doesn't come in different shapes, except such is a lie.
And grace didn't start in the new testament part of the bible, grace is as old as God,and that is the consistent character of God!
Sincere milk is what that builds to perfection.
Sincere milk is the message of grace,
Strong meat (truth)is also the message of grace.
You don't use the law to equip men of the spirit.
Grace got us saved,Grace keep equipping us!.
The gospel is different from advice and moral lessons.
God uses his engrafted word in equipping the saints in christ and not the other way round!.
Further more! When you see or read grace AND truth, normally due to our knowledge of English one will conclude that the "AND" there is actually conjunction , making grace and truth two different concept. But remember the bible was not originally written in English, hence it's safer to stay with the original manuscript or lexicon which is either Hebrew, Latin or Greek.
"AND" most atimes in the new testament means "WHICH IS" or "EVEN"
for instance π
John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Without careful contextual studies, one might assume that Jesus was talking about water baptism above but that is not the case!
Let's see how it is actually π
John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
That is to say, water is not the spirit but a typology of the spirit, because in a Jewish culture, water signifies NEWNESS.
(Emphasis mine)
So when you hear or read Grace and truth, it actually means Grace which is the truth, and of course truth is a person Jesus.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, THE TRUTH, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
So in conclusion, Jesus is the grace of God, Jesus is the truth, Jesus is the message!
Hope it's clear?