Grace, Truth, and Lies!
This Biblical truth of grace is a foundational one that could change the way you currently view and are attempting to live the Christian life. In this teaching, the primary message is the vital connection we have with Christ, the giver of grace, and the resulting changed life. A life that is spontaneous and natural rather than forced and fabricated. A Christian life of rest in Christ instead of a life of labor and strife. A life of selfless faith that is free from the weight of a performance driven mind-set. A genuine Christ-like life. That simple. That narrow. And that complete. I hope you take your Bible and prayerfully study these scriptures for yourself. Give the Holy Spirit time to teach. Be patient. Be open to a fresh, new, and Biblical understanding of true spiritual conversion and a life of free grace. I know from my own experience, that when we are exposed to teaching that may be erroneous, and we believe and follow that teaching, it is very difficult to see it any other way. I invite you to ponder this teaching on grace and be willing to change if needed.
We cannot understand grace without considering the Old Covenant law given to the nation of Israel. Jesus said, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” (Matthew 5:17-18).
Jesus did not perfectly fulfill every “jot” and every “tittle” of the law along with every single word of the prophets so we could have a chance of observing, obeying, applying, and following them. Jesus did not die on the cross to simply improve our lives or our behavior. He shed His precious blood in order to perfect every believer. To utterly and completely destroy the penalty of sin. “And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:11-14).
He is the only person who has, or ever will, fulfill and keep the entire Law of God and the teachings of the prophets without sin. His purpose in fulfilling the law and the prophets was not to give each of us the ability to fulfill the law and the teachings of the prophets in our daily mortal lives. He did not die for our sins on the cross in order to simply improve our behavior.
What does the scripture teach concerning God’s law? “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). Ponder this. Why did Christ fulfill the law and the prophets? Understand what that verse in James is saying. “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”
There are over 600 laws in the Old Testament. Again, what does the Bible teach? If we fail to keep the whole law (all 600 plus) and offend (disobey, break, violate) in just one point, we are guilty of offending them all. Which one of the laws have you broken? Which one of the “Ten Commandments” have you violated even after you became a Christian? Have you, or will you ever, keep the entire law of God? Of course not!
What is the point? Get this, it is important. Only one man has entirely fulfilled the law and the prophets and only one man ever will—the Lord Jesus Christ. To this end, Christ has come. To completely, once and for all, satisfy the holy and just demands of GOD. I know, some of you may be thinking to yourself this very moment, “But that does not give us an excuse to go out and sin and to flaunt grace.” Would you please allow me to worship, praise, and glorify Jesus? I’ll get to living truth in our daily life later. But first, you better understand grace or your Christian life will not be what God intended. Furthermore, you will not have a proper view and understanding of God and how He sees you in Christ.
We will not understand the true power of the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and its effect in our life if we fail to learn this truth. Nor will we abandon our resolve and attempt to measure-up to God’s holy standard of perfection through our futile acts and works of obedience apart from simply knowing, trusting, loving, and following Christ.
We know according to the Bible the law ultimately directs us to Christ. That is its purpose. By the way, understand that the teaching to the Church at Galatia was not limited to only the believing Jews but also to the many believing Gentiles who were being taught by religious Jews that the Gospel of Christ was not enough and it was also required to adhere to the law of God in addition to their faith in Christ in order to please and satisfy God. The Apostle Paul was teaching when we (Jew or Gentile) come fully to Christ in belief, He justifies us, cleanses us, forgives us, and redeems us. That is terrific news. The law, according to the scripture, is to show that we cannot keep them. That is the point. And if we cannot keep the law what does that make us? Guilty sinners who need a Saviour!
“But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:23-26).
Make note that this truth not only refers to our initial salvation in Christ, but to all of life in Christ. We are the children of God by faith in Christ and we live the daily life as children of God by faith in Christ. “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage
” (Galatians 5:1).
Understanding the New You
What, then, is the significance of Christ fulfilling the law and the prophets? How is this a practical truth for us who believe today? The significance is that in Christ we have become the very righteousness of God. It’s a positional and absolute reality. Right now! And it will never change!
If you’re like I am you do not feel very righteous, very holy, and very pure, but in Christ you are! The guilty verdict wrought by sin is forever destroyed and you will never be charged again. Each time Satan goes before God to vehemently accuse you because of your sin, God sees the blood of His Son and declares that payment is made in full. In Christ, the perfect righteousness of God is fulfilled in you. Difficult to believe, isn’t it? But it’s true.
2 Corinthians 5:21 clearly tells us, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” Believe it! Therefore, we should each, “…be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:” (Philippians 3:9). There is no glory left for us. It’s all Christ, beloved. Jesus has made us fully acceptable and accepted to the Heavenly Father. Our position of grace, unmerited favor and acceptance with God, was not based on our good deeds when we first believed and our favor and standing with God right now is not based on our good deeds. Grace was unearned and unmerited at salvation and it is unearned and unmerited throughout this Christian life. The judgment is gone. The condemnation abolished. The enmity removed. Jesus has paid it all.
What changes does this truth bring to those who understand it and fully receive it? What direction does grace give to those who know it? I can tell you this, it’s not a divine permission slip to abandon truth and live as you wish. That is such a childish view of grace. Free from the law does not mean free from God’s truth and free from holy behavior. This transformation in Christ, by grace (unmerited favor with God), does not teach us to do as we please but knowledge of His grace constrains us to do what is right without the weight and burden of retribution from God if we don’t. Instead of being led by terror and fear we are directed by God’s love, mercy, and grace through Christ. This Spirit filled life continually draws us to Christ and to His divine nature and holy character through the word of truth. But understand this, as we sin in our pitiful, puny, and poor mortal life, and we do, we are perpetually covered in the precious blood of Jesus. Abounding grace is not conditional to our behavior.
How should we behave now that Christ has made us the righteousness of God? What are we now instructed to do as Christians? Teach the law? Keep the law? Live by the law? Conform to, obey, follow, or learn the law? No. Does this imply we are to be lawless rebels? Of course it doesn’t. The Bible is full of instruction and teaching on what we should do and what we should not do. But understand, the law of God has fulfilled its purpose. It has brought us to Christ.
Two Words that will Change Your Life
What did the Apostle Paul say? “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them” (Galatians 3:10). We each know the utter impossibility of continuing in all things which are written in the book of the law.
If not the law, then what guides us? As born-again Christians how should we live and conduct ourselves? The answer concerning our behavior as believers in Jesus Christ is contained in John’s gospel and centers on two key words. In my understanding of Bible truth, these two words define and direct the entire Christian life because they fully rest in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. These two words are grace and truth.
First, make note of John 1:14 which says, “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.” Then notice John 1:17 which says, “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”
The Bible makes a clear distinction between the “law” which was given by Moses and “grace and truth” which came by Jesus Christ. When you read scripture always ask, is this written to individuals still living under the law or is it instruction to those living under grace? Is it before the finished work of Christ on the cross or after. It will help greatly in your understanding of scripture. What does grace and truth do for the believer?
Grace
Grace is the unmerited favor of God. At the point of salvation grace is free and given in full measure. As a Christian grace is always freely given and is never earned. Grace scares many people. Some hear the word grace and immediately think of compromise and corruption; a license to sin. And they falsely accuse the brethren who mention the Biblical words like grace, free, and liberty. Shame! Some believe that lowered standards and lazy service is the result of growing in grace. I guess this is because they believe grace, or unmerited, unearned favor of God, is limited only to the initial forgiveness of sin and not the entire Christian life. But what does the scripture say? “That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 5:21). Since grace is by Jesus Christ our Lord, we have it in full and complete measure. It’s not like we start with half a cup of grace and then add more grace throughout our Christian life.
The Bible does exhort us to grow in grace. “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen” (2 Peter 3:18). But this does not mean grow in measure, but rather, grow in knowledge and understanding of grace. The Bible also says, “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6). Again, the word “more” does not mean more in the sense of quantity. it means that God gives us more growth in our knowledge and understanding of His grace. This growth of knowledge and understanding of grace is not given to the proud. They are to occupied with trying to keep rules and commandments instead of, by faith and humility, receiving the free, unmerited, unearned, and undeserved gift of God. Grace enables us to walk in obedience to Christ without the burdensome weight of attempting to be perfect. Free.
Grace also teaches. In Titus 2:11-12 we read, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world….”
Are you growing in your knowledge and understanding of the grace that is in Christ? It will change your view of living the victorious and abundant Christian life. The passage in Titus clearly tells us that the grace which brought salvation teaches us something. It remains active and viable in the Christian life for those who in self-less humility receive it. It teaches us to deny ungodliness, worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. But unlike the law, grace continues its effectual inner work even when we sin. Grace absolutely guarantees no condemnation; ever! And guarantees my righteous standing with God. His amazing grace constrains me to love Jesus.
Here is the key about growing in grace. If we would grow in grace it will be from being planted in, rooted, and built up in Christ. Why? Because Jesus Christ is the one full of grace. He is the embodiment of grace. He is the very essence of grace. He is its source and its provision. It never fades. It never weakens. It never loses its efficacy. If you desire to have more practical and operational grace, then humble yourself and by faith turn fully to Jesus Christ. He has all you’ll need of it. Stop depending on fruitless works and wasteful duties in an attempt to earn more favor with God and start fully trusting Christ. He will guide and direct you. Follow Him! Again, John 1:14 says, “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.” And John 1:17 says, “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”
We must first start with understanding the amazing grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. His grace is effective when we sin. His grace maintains our righteous standing with God in the midst of unrighteous thoughts, words, or deeds. There are at least two important reasons for us to know this.
First, to our regret, we will all have times of disobedience to Biblical truths that are written in the word of God. We better know the grace that is in Christ or we’ll wash up, give up, waste away, and live under the cloud of guilt and self-condemnation from continually falling short of truth. (In case you have forgotten, we still commit sin!)
The awareness of sin can bring discouragement, despondency, and defeat. I’m not suggesting sin does not greatly disturb the believer, it does and it should. But it is important to fully understand the grace which is in Christ Jesus. Grace that causes each of us to say, and mean, not I but Christ. When I sin, my remembrance of His undeserved grace is what causes me to repent, glorify, worship, and praise JESUS! There He is, still full of grace; grace that reigns all the way to eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 5:21). This understanding of grace doesn’t cause me to desire sin, it constrains me to love Jesus.
Second, we will have no hope of knowing real freedom given to us through Christ without understanding His grace. Actually, the grace of Christ lifts the yoke of bondage, wrought by attempting to keep the law, and gives us the liberty and freedom to walk in truth. It takes us from a driven life of duty to a delightful life of willing devotion. His love and grace constrains us to follow Him. We are headed for great disappointment, discouragement, and defeat if we neglect the full counsel of His grace. We will lack genuine joy if we fail to appropriate His grace. Furthermore, if His grace is not our motivation for loving Him and for living right, we will become Pharisaical, judgmental, and arrogant. We will end up placing our attention on the process of living the Christian life instead of the person of the Lord Jesus Christ and we’ll end up pushing others to do the same. And as a result, we will claim success based on our self-discipline and hard work to faithfully obey and diligently apply the orders of our commander, which is exactly what the enemy of the cross desires.
Truth
Truth is fully in Christ. He does not merely possess characteristics and qualities of truth but He is the very essence of truth. I marvel at humankind’s search for truth apart from Jesus Christ. Many turn to books, commentaries, articles, audio/video resources, seminars, and ministers for the truth without fully going to the person of all truth in faith. Truth will not be found without Him. Oh sure, you may learn various truths through the years. But truth will never impact the conscience, the inner man, the spiritual man apart from Christ. But in Christ truth explodes. Even as Christians, we often neglect to make the vital connection of grace and truth to the very person of the Lord Jesus Christ. I like this quote from the late, Charles Hadden Spurgeon.
“The apostle says that the only begotten is ‘full of grace and truth.’ He did not come to tell us about grace, but actually to bring us grace. He is not full of the news of grace and truth, but of grace and truth themselves.
Others had been messengers of gracious tidings, but He came to bring grace. Others teach us truth, but Jesus is the truth. He is that grace and truth whereof others spake. Jesus is not merely a teacher, an exhorter, a worker of grace and truth; but these heavenly things are in Him: He is full of them.
I want you to note this. It raises such a difference between Christ and others: you go to others to hear of grace and truth, but you must go to Christ to see them. There may be, there is, grace in other men; but not as it is in Christ: they have it as water flowing through a pipe, but He has it as water in its fountain and source.
He has grace to communicate to the sons of men, grace without measure, grace essential and abiding. There is truth in others where God has wrought it, by His Spirit; but it is not in them as it is in Christ. In Him dwells the depth, the substance, the essence of the fact. Grace and truth come to us by Him, and yet they evermore abide in Him.
I say again, our Lord did not merely come to teach grace and truth, or to impress them upon us; but He came to exhibit in His own person—life, and work, all the grace and truth which we need. He has brought us grace in rivers and truth in streams: of these He has infinite fullness; of that fullness all His saints receive.”
Making the Vital Connection
As you are exposed to Bible truth, purpose to always make the connection of grace and truth to Jesus Christ. For example, scripture instructs us, “But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:20-32).
Jesus is the truth that ignites these Christian virtues. He turns instruction into reality. These are the behaviors of a true disciple of Christ. In other words, be like Christ. Follow Him. Love Him. Know Him. Think on Him. Trust Him and let Him live His life through you. As we think on Christ we are reminded that He is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, and full of virtue and praise. We love one another because the person of love is in us. We obey the Heavenly Father because our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ obeyed Him. Make the vital connection. But when we stumble, and we do, there’s His unmerited, undeserved, unearned amazing grace guaranteeing our righteous standing with God.
I suppose each of us need to have our own “Mount of Transfiguration” experience.
“And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only” (Matthew 17:1–8).
The law (Moses) was represented and the prophets (Elias) were represented but when they lifted their eyes they saw no man except Jesus! What are you doing to bring completeness or satisfaction to your Christian life? Are you trying to keep the law? Are you trying to follow the prophets? What spiritual activity do you perform in order to please God? What teachings are you holding on to that keep you spinning in the rut of self-determination and self-will, resulting in self-glory? This ought to be our passion: Only Jesus! Only Jesus! Only Jesus! Let Jesus Christ live His life through you and simply bear the fruit He desires to produce in your life. Live in grace. Give truth in love. Be a graceful truth giver.
