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About-Him.Com Devotional 01-15-2011 Http://About-Him.Com Grace and Truth Came by Jesus Christ (Part 2) John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, [but] grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Last week we mentioned that Jesus delivered us from the curse of the law and ushered in the dispensation of grace. We said that grace was God’s unmerited favor and His divine enablement in our lives. Grace and Truth came by Jesus. We need both! Grace without truth leaves us wanting. Truth untempered by grace leaves us cold and unfulfilled. Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Jesus told the woman at the well that her dead formal religion didn’t fit the bill. God was looking for those who would worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. The church world is sadly divided by what each segment deems as truth. Often we grasp a certain gem of the word and we embrace it as truth. That is good, but hopefully we don’t neglect other aspects of the word that are also truth, and hopefully we don’t exclude others who have been washed in the blood and filled by God’s Spirit, all in the name of truth? I’ve noticed a tendency among many groups to cherry pick the scriptures that support their core doctrines, but seldom mention any that could call their doctrine into question. That’s something to think about! Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Every word that proceeds from the mouth of God! That’ a big order. His word is alive and powerful. It’s sharper than a two edged sword. It can divide soul from spirit and discern the very thought and intents of our heart (Heb. 4:12). Certainly something to take seriously, wouldn’t you say? Jesus came to reveal the Father to us and to open our understanding to His truth. John gives us an understanding of this fact in 1John 5:50. 1John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, [even] in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Jesus always spoke uplifting words. Even when He spoke the unpleasant truth to people such as the woman of Samaria, He also offered words of life (Jn. 4:14). Ephesians 4:21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: Jesus desired that we understand all of the word of God. John 17:19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. When He preached the Sermon on the Mount, He was revealing the very heart of God as to how we should fulfill His will in our relations to one another. Jesus not only spoke the word of God, He demonstrated it by the life that He lived. As they say, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life. He did not speak from His human nature. When He spoke, He was speaking as eternal God. John 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Jesus often prefaced His statements with the words, Verily, Verily. meaning Truly Truly. So when Jesus says Verily Verily, It’s means that He is laying special emphasis on a truth and it’s best that we listen. John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. John 10:7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. John 8:51 ¶ Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. It was because of the word of God first spoken in the garden of Eden that we knew that a Savior would die in our behalf (Gen. 3:15). This word was repeated by the Old Testament prophets, such as Isaiah and Zechariah. The words of the prophets were verified by Jesus and and emphasized by the apostles. It was the words of the Old Testament scripture that convicted the crowd on the day of Pentecost. When they heard Peter preach the Old Testament scripture concerning Jesus’ death, resurrection, and enthronement (Ps. 2:7, 16:10)that they cried out, What must we do? Peter had a ready answer, which He had learned at the feet of Jesus. After His resurrection Jesus spent 40 days giving commandments to His apostles “of things pertaining to the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3).” Things that they hadn’t comprehended prior to His death, they had a clear understanding of after He had risen. When Peter spoke of repentance, water baptism in the name of Jesus and the promise of the Holy Spirit, and many other words (Acts 2:38-40), He was simply repeating that which Jesus had given Him. Having believed the gospel that is presented to us in the scripture we have obeyed it and God has confirmed His word by giving us His Holy Spirit of Promise (Acts 1:4, 2:4). Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Psalms 119:116 ¶ Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope. Do you wish to find out the really sublime? Repeat the Lord's Prayer. - Napoleon Free Ebooks That You Can Download. An Expository Study on the Book of Colossians The I AMs of Jesus Keep Looking Up! Don and Marie Spooner About Him! Ministries Your thoughts and Inquiries Contact@About-Him.Com Subscribe to this devotional? Subscribe@About-Him.Com
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