May 13, 2020
As we continue our thoughts on “GRACE” this week, the Bible tells us that grace and truth came by Jesus Christ and that He was full of grace and truth.
(John 1:14) 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.
(John 1:17) For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
The Mosaic law was given on Mt. Sinai shortly after Moses led the Hebrew children out of bondage in Egypt. The law was never given so that man could earn his way to heaven. The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ.
(Galatians 3:24) Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Jesus Christ did not come to destroy the law, but to be the fulfillment of the law for us. Look at the words Jesus preached in the sermon on the mount in Matthew 5.
(Matthew 5:17) Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
(Matthew 5:18) 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.
So, as we can see in the scriptures this morning, grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. John 1:14 tells us that Jesus was full of grace and truth. According to Galatians 3:24, the law served as our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith. Jesus said in Matthew 5:17 that He did not come to destroy the law, or the prophets. He said, “I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil”.
The law demanded justice and punishment to satisfy the demands of a Holy God against sin. Jesus (God in the flesh) came full of grace and truth to become the fulfillment of the law for us. He took our punishment on Calvary and satisfied our sin debt.
(Isaiah 53:4) Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
(Isaiah 53:5) But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace wasupon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
(Isaiah 53:6) All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Grace has been described as “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense”. It is the “unmerited” and “undeserved” favor of God that has been extended to all who will accept what the Lord has done for them on the cross.
(Romans 4:24) But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
(Romans 4:25) Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
I love that old hymn, “Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost, but now I’m found, Twas blind, but now I see”.
Saved by Grace,
Bro. Rick
