Grace and Truth
“And the Word became 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.
John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ”
And of His fullness, we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” John 1:14-18
The Word Became Flesh and Dwelled Among Us
Jesus was God’s tabernacle - His presence among mankind.
“Immanuel, God with us,” so one day we could be with God.
God became a man.
a. The infinite became finite.
b. The invisible became tangible
c. He Who was always far off came near to us all.
d. What was beyond the reach of the human mind could now be understood.
He did not cease to be God, but He became Man.
a. He was an undiminished deity, taking on man but not losing God.
b. He became a real man to see, talk to, and touch.
c. Yet, although a man, He was a sinless man, perfect man.
Holy, blameless, undefiled, separate from sinners (Hebrews 7:26).
He could now visibly show us God’s glory.
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full” 1 John 1:1-3
The union of HIs two natures allowed Him to be our Mediator.
Vs. 2 “Truly I know it is so, but how can a man be righteous with God?”
Vs. 3 “If one wished to contend with Him one time out of a thousand.”
Vs. 32 “For He is not a man, as I am that I may answer Him.”
Vs. 33 “No is there any mediator between us who may lay his hand on us both.”
a.Jesus Christ is not 50% God - 50% man.
b. He is 100% God - 100% man.
“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 2:6
Christ became a man to identify with mankind.
a. It was now possible for Him to die. Deity cannot die. Perfect righteousness, omnipresence, omnipotence, eternal life.
b. He could now be touched with the feeling of our infirmities.
c. He left us a human example, so we could follow in His steps.
…Of His Fullness, We Have All Received, and Grace for Grace
After His work, we can all have the fulness of the Godhead in our human body as Jesus did in His (Colossians 2:9-10).
Jesus came to replace the grace of the law with the fulness of New Testament grace - “grace for grace” or grace in exchange for grace.
Grace was seen eve in the law, but the fulness of grace came through Jesus Christ.
…The Law Was Given Through Moses, But Grace and Truth Came Through Jesus Christ
Grace and truth are inseparably joined together.
God does not intend for you to have one without the other.
Grace is not only God’s plan for salvation, but also for a life of righteousness.
The new birth (grace) must be followed by growth (truth).
a. Grace brings salvation. Truth sanctifies by renewing the mind.
b. Truth is God’s Word - a synonym for the Word.
“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17).
“If you continue in My word, you are My disciples” (John 8:31).
c. Grace is also our means of fulfilling the law.
d. The law is fulfilled by the use of the word. (Psalm 119:111, 2 Peter 1:4) and by walking in the spirit (Galatians 5:16).
e. Grace teaches us to live without sin (Titus 2:11).
f. Jesus not only came to save us from sin but from sinning.
Truth Brings Added Freedom to Those Already Free By Grace
Freedom comes twice into the life of a disciple of Jesus.
a. The first freedom we experience comes from the new birth - the blood of Jesus and cannot be increased. It is complete. “The Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” John 8:36
b. The second freedom we experience comes from the truth - the Bible, the Word of God. It is ever-increasing freedom.
Jesus said to those Jews who believed in Him, “if you continue in my word, then you are my disciples indeed, and you will know that truth and the truth will make you free (John 8:32).
Sanctification comes twice into the life of a disciple of Jesus.
a. The first sanctification we experience comes at the new birth. “…elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:2
b. The second sanctification we experience comes from growth. “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” John 17:17
c. Th new birth sets our spirit free. Maturity, spiritual growth sets our mind free.
d. The new birth takes us out of bondage. The Truth, The Word takes the bondage out of us.
e. The difference between a miracle and a healing:
A miracle is instant.
A healing takes time and is a recovery.
The new birth is a miracle.
Spiritual growth - renewing the mind, is a healing.
