In this world there lived human beings, and they worshipped two different gods. The first god was one that accepted them and loved them just as they were. These devout worshippers were great at loving one another, accepting one another, but they failed to grow and mature. It seemed as if they were constantly sinning, falling into the same temptations over and over again, without any discipline. This was because of the god they followed-- the god named Grace.
The other god was more severe. He had no grace, only rules. If the devout worshippers of this god failed to do what was right, they were cast away and shunned from everyone else. This god made the people of this world feel very bad about themselves, but there was structure; something that the god called Grace did not have. This god's name was Truth.
I've been reading a book called Changes That Heal, and it begins with an adaption of the story I just told you. Two separate gods, Grace and Truth, and human beings worshipped one or the other. It's too bad the two gods couldn't be combined... Because if they were, we human beings would actually have a chance at growing.
But there is this one God called Jesus.
"The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."
-John 1:14
Grace and truth are not meant to be divided, but sadly they often are.
How often do we see Jesus as only grace? With this belief, and without truth, we will continually sin and be forever in bondage to the desires of our flesh. After all, if we sin, Jesus will just keep forgiving us, won't he? So why should we stop?
"You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature."
-Galatians 5:13
This is where truth comes in. But truth without grace is equally as damaging. How can truth be damaging? Because truth is God's holy and perfect law. And because we as humans are sinful by nature. We continually fall short.
"Law brings wrath."
-Romans 4:15
"You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace."
-Galatians 5:4
Grace cannot be productive without truth, and truth without grace. Only when they are both combined, as they are in Christ Jesus, can true growth an maturity occur.
"...'Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?'...
...Jesus said, 'Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her'...
...those who heard began to go away...
Jesus straightened up and asked her, 'Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?'
'No one, sir,' she said.
'Then neither do I condemn you,' Jesus declared. 'Go now and leave your life of sin.'"
-John 8:3-11 (paraphrased)
Jesus accepts us the way we are, in the midst of our sin, ("Neither do I condemn you") but he loves us too much to allow us to stay where we are ("Go now and leave your life of sin").
Do you follow a God of grace, or a God of truth?
Or is He a God full of grace and truth.
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