By Pst. Joseph O. Babatunde
Text: John 1:14-17.
For those under the Old Covenant, the emphasis in relationship with God was mostly through various laws, albeit, there was a measure of Grace enjoyed by the people out of the agape love of God for His Creature.
Biblically, God’s law specifies the moral standards He wants humanity to live by. They are rules or principles involved in having a relationship with God.
However, no mortal man, since the fall of Adam and Eve, is able to perfectly keep all the various laws in the Old Covenant, but daily break them, in thought, word and deed. Hence, it is written in James 3:2 that “In many things we offend all”.
God gave Moses up to about 613 laws to enable him govern the Israelites. Despite all the laws, they kept wallowing in sins, as it was difficult to please God in the human flesh.
Consequently, it became apparent that instituting various laws could not stop people from living a sinful life. To be able to receive the power to live in dominion over sins, God had to send His only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ in flesh to dwell among us, to herald the dispensation of grace and truth- John 1:14.
Truth refers to “verified or indisputable fact as laid down in the Bible”, which Christians are enjoined to believe wholeheartedly. God’s word is the truth and Jesus said in John 8:32 that “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”. And Jesus is the Truth as written in John 14:6, He is the Way, the TRUTH and the Life, and no one can come to the Father, except through Him.
Grace, on the other hand, is “the love and mercy given to us by God because He desires us to have it, not necessarily because of anything we have done to have it”. Grace is an attribute of God that is most manifest in the salvation of sinners. It is an unmerited favour from God, which can only be received by faith.
Apostle Paul went further in Romans 8:2-3 by stating that “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh”. For those under grace and not under the law, sin cannot have dominion over them: Romans 6:14.
2: Dispensation of Law vs that of
Grace and Truth:
It must be well understood that the laws are very important and very relevant in the New Covenant as Jesus Himself said in Mathew 5:17 that He did not come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it.
The laws were given through Moses by profound act of divine grace, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ- John 1:17. The laws were given through an intermediary- Moses referred to as “Mosaic Laws” but grace and truth came by Christ described as the Word of God, the divine message in person.
The contrast is thus between the giving of the Word of God to the people in an indirect fashion, and the coming of the Word of God to the world in a direct fashion.
Through the Law, we received grace as the law was a gift of grace. But as good a blessing as it was, it was not the fullest expression of God. That came when the Word became flesh. Therefore, it can be inferred that the Law was a gift of grace- Jesus was a much greater gift of grace. Hallelujah!
Our text in John 1:17 is an important reminder about the most distinctive doctrine of Christianity. In Islam, God’s most direct revelation is the Quran. In Judaism, it is the Law. But in Christianity, it is a Person- the Word. Glory be to God !!!.
And the above clear distinctions accounts for why in John 8:1-11, the Scribes and Pharisees were set to stone to death the woman caught in the act of adultery according to the Mosaic law. But as a demonstration of His redemptive love for the lost, Jesus offered her salvation and a way out of sin. The grace of God, through Jesus Christ located her and her life was saved. Thereafter, Jesus told her: go, and sin no more.
3: Conclusion:
Grace and truth are available to the fullest to as many as are ready to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour: Romans 5:17-21.
Salvation does not come by our efforts to keep the law, but by the Holy Spirit and by Christ’s grace coming into our lives to regenerate our spirits and to recreate us in Christ’s image.
Per adventure you are a reader of this publication, and you are yet to give your life to Jesus Christ, here is another opportunity for you to surrender to Him. In Luke 15:7, it is written that joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repents. Have you been going through fruitless labour and you are heavy laden, time to come to Jesus for enduring rest: Mathew 11:28. You are invited to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour so that you can enjoy the free gift of Salvation and rest here on earth and in eternity.
God bless you as you obey in Jesus mighty name. Amen.