DAILY DEVOTIONAL FROM PASTOR WESLEY May 16, 2024
Full of Grace and Truth
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’” For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. John 1:14-18
To gain a greater understanding of God’s grace, we need only look at Jesus, who was the personification of grace and truth. Both were perfectly displayed in Him, and neither was ever compromised in the slightest. With truth, Christ made people aware of their hopeless, sinful condition; with grace He offered forgiveness to all who would come to Him in faith.
This is clearly seen in Jesus’ interactions. People willing to admit their sins were drawn to Christ and His offer of forgiveness. But the Pharisees, who saw themselves as righteous, didn’t think they needed His grace. And so, they rejected it, mistakenly believing that their legalistic practices made them acceptable to God (Romans 9:30-33).
For the greatest display of grace and truth, however, we must look to the cross. There, our Savior suffered the just penalty for sin so God the Father could extend grace to those of us who believe in His Son. Now divine goodness, love, and mercy pour over us in an endless supply of “grace upon grace” (John 1:16). Having such an abundance of God’s favor should fill us with gratitude and overflow into Christlike responses toward others as well.
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