10/30/2024
Warning ⚠️ this post is a little lengthy, but worth the read!!
Grace and Truth are synonymous because they are the same person. His name is Jesus! Anything that teaches that grace is a "thing" or a doctrine, does not understand Grace. God's Grace is Jesus. He is the Way, the Truth, the Life, the Healer, Redeemer, the Word, Provider, King, and Lord. To name a few others.
The new covenant is life IN Him! He is Grace and Truth that came! (John 1). Anything or anyone who preaches a different gospel, it is not of God. Many believe that they preach the "gospel" because they teach the Bible. They don't rightly divide the word and many don't understand the Truth because of it.
They continue to preach and teach the old covenant and its way as a way to live to please God, they mix its law and ways with the new covenant we have in Jesus and, as Paul said, even if it's just a little of the old, it ruins the whole new! Because the old always brings a veil that prevents the people from understanding what Jesus has done for us! They cannot understand the Truth!
“But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ. Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand.”
2 Corinthians 3:14-15 NLT
You cannot preach Truth and mix law and Grace! That's not Jesus (Truth).
The law was given to Moses, but Grace and Truth came in Jesus! (John 1). Notice the Holy Spirit put Grace and Truth on the same side!?
If you claim to preach Truth, it has to be Jesus and Him crucified. The finished work of the cross! Otherwise it's not Truth! It's just another message that contains leaven... and we know what the Word says about a "little leaven..." It brings a veil and the people stay under the law! Then the "ministry of condemnation" (2 Cor 3:9) will continue to empower sin in the people's lives! (1 Cor 15:56).
So you see there is no version of Grace apart from Truth.
Let me add what Paul said concerning the gospel about Grace and Truth (Jesus and His finished work of the cross!)...
“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you in the Grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— NOT THAT THERE IS ANOTHER ONE, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Galatians 1:6-12 ESV
This is exactly what Paul was dealing with! The Pharisees came after the church of Galatia received the good news about Jesus and put their faith in Him, and told them they had to continue to live by the old covenant as well. It was causing all sorts of issues and sin was having its way because they had fallen from Grace back under the old law.
This is why we see so many believers who love Jesus but continue to struggle in sin, shame, guilt and condemnation come into the building week in and week out, have a great service, cry and come to the alters seeking forgiveness and leave and go right back to how they were!
It is heart breaking to see God's people live in this vicious cycle that has lead many in our time to walk away, deceived by the enemy, because they could not understand Truth. To see people come to church for 20 years and never experience freedom from the law of sin and death.
It's heart breaking to see pastors continuing to preach the same messages week in and week out, without the power of God transforming lives. Became anything other than the good news about Jesus (the gospel) only keeps the veil in place and teaches the people they must continue to follow doctrine or steps, or put in the effort to please God if they want to grow spiritually or get free from sin in their lives. Not realizing that the very effort to do something to get something puts them back under the old covenant ways and it's about them doing to get!
So when they do what the preacher says and it fails or eventually fails to do what the preacher said would happen, then condemnation comes from the accuser of the brothers, and they end up right back at the alter seeking forgiveness, or they give up and go back to the sinful ways because they are too ashamed or they believe whatever lies the enemy tells them about being guilty and not right with God.
Paul said I am not ashamed of the gospel about Christ (good news), because it is the power of God that brings deliverance (soteria)(salvation).
So my challenge to other ministers is this...
Ask Jesus for the revelation he gave Paul about the gospel of Grace and Truth (Jesus).
Take the old covenant of law out of your messages and just preach Jesus and Him crucified, and see faith begin to arise in the people, and signs wonders and miracles start to follow them! Just try it!
Here is a couple of testimonies of Jesus moving through His people because of His gospel going forth!
A lady in our church was at work, when a customer came in. The lady from church has been hearing the gospel of Jesus preached for almost two years now and when the customer came in she immediately discerned Jesus wanted to do something. The member began helping the customer and as the conversation unfolds, learns that customer is a believer and was recently diagnosed with cancer. The believer knowing that healing in the new covenant is a free gift from Jesus, explains the good news to the customer and the customer receives what the member is telling her and faith begins to arise. The member says let's pray and get rid of this cancer! The customer says ok! The member prays in faith, and commands the cancer to get out of the customers body! The lady thanks the member and leaves.
Last week the member receives a message from the customer along with a screen shot of her new diagnosis of no cancer! Thank you Jesus!!
Another example, as we were meeting this week at the house church in Angoon, after sharing some teaching about Jesus, a man who had injured his ankle had faith to be healed! As we were praying one of the other pastors who was holding the man's ankle in his hands said I felt popping in the man's ankle and the man was instantly healed!
I didn't preach on healing! I preached about Jesus and who we are in Him and what He did for us at the cross! About what the new covenant is apart from the old covenant! Faith arose in him and he received healing as the gift that Jesus gives. I never laid my hands on the man, another believer was thanking Jesus for the healing and Jesus manifested Himself by His Spirit present and healed the man!
These are people who have received the revelation of the gospel and believed it! They are members of the body of Christ and live their lives through Jesus under His new covenant of Grace. (Romans 6:14).
I dare you to just put away any of the old covenant of law, (just like God did by nailing it to the cross - Colossians 2:14)
Just preach Jesus in power and demonstration of His Holy Spirit!!

