Grace and Truth – by Pastor/Elder Rene Milner

  Posted on June 18, 2023  by   No comments

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.“

The last couple of months I have been repeatedly drawn back to this verse and particularly the words “full of grace and truth.” I will tell you why in a moment but for now I just want to stand in awe of this passage. As I meditate on these words, I am filled with awe. Think about it. This one little sentence encapsulates all you will ever need to know. It is simple, clear, concise, and complete. If all you had was a piece of paper torn from the pages of your Bible and this is what was written on it, this is all you would need.  Believe this and you will be saved.

Often, we complicate the Word of God. We like to take it apart and look at it piece by piece. We apply our current minds to the perfect mind of God thinking we can make it more perfect or somehow better, like using a colander to try and make pure water purer. It just adds complication. In fact, I may be at risk of doing this right now. But rather than trying to give you a newer and better understanding of scripture what I would love to do is share my awe with you that you may have the same mind blowing, soul disturbing love for who God is and what He has done. Unfortunately for that to take place you would have to be me at this time. Me with all my experiences and limited understanding. It would lead you to this moment and like me, your eyes would be tearing up with the thought of this short passage from God. I cannot accomplish that.  What I can do, like one beggar reaching out to another, is tell you where I found this Bread.

And the Word became flesh…Do you believe this? The Word!! This is what made the Universe, everything in it and all its laws of function in an instant. This is what spoke the world and the people into existence. This is the only thing that can save you from the cost of your sin. All this grandeur was somehow just stuffed into a little wee ball of skin?!! Why? This is what we must figure out. If the phrase does not give you a lifetime of curiosity you may need to fall on your knees and beg for it.

And dwelt among us…Do you believe this? God, the Creator, with us! He came to walk with man. Not even possible in our minds. Yet it was. And is!! Hallelujah! His Word is among us. Even within us. All of us. How does that work? That is what you must live out. This is not an exercise to be applied unto you by another but is a life to be lived out in that dwelling place of Him. I cannot impart this to you. No one can. It is found in dwelling with the Word made flesh.

And we have seen His Glory, Glory as of the only Son from the Father. Wait! What? We, you, and me and all the disciples and early believers perceive the Glory of God? How? In the manner of the Son of the Father. All the Glory of God is seen in the Son. The Word. You want to see the Glory of God just look at His only Word. The only Son and the only Word are the same.  This is what we must fix our eyes upon. As we do this we should be brought to our knees. If not in worship, then in begging for a circumcision of our callous hearts.

Full of Grace AND Truth. (Emphasis mine) Full – Analogous to complete. Complete Grace AND Truth. The Word was full/complete in grace and truth at the same time. This phrase is what led me to the verse and the verse filled me with worship which made the point of my pondering the last phrase now seem insignificant. The point, however, was that whenever we are approaching the Word all our Truth needs to be as filled with Grace as it is with Truth.

A last point and a pondering for another day. When we think of using the Word to correct someone, we might want to think more about inviting them into a conversation with Jesus versus using Jesus/the Word to correct or straighten them out. May we always be remembered for Who we believe in versus what we oppose.

To God alone be the glory.

Rene Milner