Grace and Truth!
One thing that we can do in this season of isolation is to get to know ourselves. To determine where we are both in our thinking and in our actions. As believers we are called to live lives of integrity. It starts with being honest with ourselves, but we also have to be honest with God, and to be honest with our brothers and sisters. When we recognize what Jesus has done for us, in spite of us, it becomes easier to live in truth:
16 For out of His fullness [the superabundance of His grace and truth] we have all received grace upon grace [spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, favor upon favor, and gift heaped upon gift]. 17 For the Law was given through Moses, but grace [the unearned, undeserved favor of God] and truth came through Jesus Christ.John 1:16-17 (AMP)
The reason why it becomes easier to live in truth, is because we begin to understand that it is not in our human nature to walk in truth. For thousands of years after Moses gave the law, it became evident that man could not keep the law. There appeared to be no hope. Then came Jesus, not shunning those who were doing wrong, rather embracing them, with the message that grace could save them. What is grace? That "unearned, undeserved favor of God". When we come to the realization that God wants to give us, "the superabundance of His grace" and realize that it is not condemnation, it is a not a jail sentence. It is "spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, it is favor upon favor, and gift upon gift".
Jesus Himself brought both grace to forgive us, and truth to walk in us. As the epitome of truth, when we ask Him to come and abide with us, He becomes our truth. The truth we see in the world; the truth that gets us up in the morning to take responsibility for our behavior; the truth that guides us along our way throughout the day. His truth becomes that voice in our ear telling us which way to walk. That truth becomes our measuring rod when faced with decisions. That ruth will also be our chastening rod when we ignore that still small voice and walk contrary to what is truth. Yet, here is where that second part of the Savior comes with grace – grace to forgive, grace to restore, grace to help us back up again.
What a wonderful plan of redemption that God has given to us:
For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God; Ephesians 2;8 (AMP)
Maria