John 1:14
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt
among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father,
full of grace and truth.
Have you ever contemplated the statement above? Jesus introduced to the world grace and truth
and the dictionary defines grace: “The
infinite love, mercy, favor, and goodwill shown to mankind by God.” As an act of faith one can experience being
set free from sin, by the confession of sin and accepting repentance from
God. If we explore the Handbook on
living life on planet earth, it is often referred to as God’s Holy Word, or the
Bible, its pages are full of the word grace.
Many refer to grace as God’s unmerited favor, it’s God’s goodness and
mercy, His great love for mankind and it was introduced to this world by Jesus,
who took on flesh and dwelt among us in flesh for awhile, but when He returned
to the Father, grace and truth lived in and was empowered by the Holy Spirit of
God to all who received it by faith. In
2 Corinthians 8:9, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that
though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his
poverty might become rich.”
What does 2 Corinthians 8:9 mean? If that is your question, it a good one and
the apostle Paul answered it in a letter to the church at Ephesus. Ephesians 2: 13-19,13”But
now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the
blood of Christ. 14For he himself is our peace, who has made us both
one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15by
abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might
create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16and
might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing
the hostility. 17And he came and preached peace to you who were far
off and peace to those who were near. 18For through him we both have
access in one Spirit to the Father. 19So then you are no longer
strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members
of the household of God,”
God’s mercy, His grace, has bestowed citizenship in the
household of God, in fact the apostle Paul wrote to the church at Rome, and
told them in Romans 8:15, “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back
into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we
cry, Abba! Father!” What can
compare to that? Surely no one would
compare the riches of this world, they or temporary, but to be adopted into the
Family of the Creator, the giver of truth and grace, is eternal. Therefore, if your adoption is through the
blood of Jesus Christ, you have grace sufficient for all human needs, that is
what 2 Corinthians 12:9, is saying to us: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect
in weakness.” God’s grace shows up not in our strength but in
weakness, and that is who we are, “no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens
with the saints and members of the household of God,”
I’m sure you have noticed that we have not gotten to truth,
but Jesus has much to say about the subject and He had this exchange with
Pilate; “Then
Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?”
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a
king. For this purpose I was born and
for this purpose I have come into the world – to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my
voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is
truth?” Today many who are
members of some denomination are asking the same question as Pilate or even Thomas. In the gospel of John 14:5 “Thomas said to
him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going.
How can we know the way?” How many are sitting in churches
that will not ask that question because they fear what some other person might
think of them, aren’t you grateful that Thomas ask it for you, and this is our
Lord’s reply. “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through
me.” I have talked to
many people who want another way, but it comes down to an issue of; “Does Jesus tell the truth?” If not, he is at best a liar and a lunatic,
not a good teacher, nor a good man, because He has made this claim, that He is The
Christ, the only way, the only door to the Father.
I believe Jesus is “Truth” the only truth, and I believe
that “Truth” lives in me and I live in that “Truth”. For us who are adopted into the family of
God, we have much to look forward to, Jesus said this to us; “Let not your hearts
be troubled. Believe in God; believe
also in me. In my Father’s house are
many rooms. If it were not so, would I
have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I
will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John
14:1-3)
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
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