For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:16-17).

Where are you on the grace-and-truth spectrum?  Some people are all about God’s grace and ignore the truth of the Bible. Others major on the truth of God’s expectations and have little patience for strugglers. Yet, the Scriptures tell us that grace and truth can’t be separated. 

The Apostle John writes that grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. And Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.”

So, being under the gospel of grace does not make obedience to God’s truth optional. When God removes good works as a condition for his acceptance, he does not remove righteousness as a requirement for living. That’s because the truth of Scripture reveals laws for life that glorify God while guarding his people from harm.

God warns us not to use his unconditional love as an excuse for selfish indulgence. That’s not because he is an eternal killjoy who doesn’t want us to have any fun. To the contrary, he wants us to have the delights of life his grace designed.

Grace revealed the law designed by his love to guide us, and grace releases us from the guilt of failing its standards. But grace would not be grace if it freed us from sin’s guilt and sent us into sin’s harm. 

By Moses’ law we learn the guidance of God and the guilt of our sin. By Christ’s grace we are loved beyond our sin, but never allowed to deny the truth of God’s law or sin’s consequence.  

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, may both the grace and truth of Jesus Christ be seen in my life as I seek to serve you today.