Truth or Grace

A couple of months ago I was at a conference where Rev David Hazzard ( https://paoc.org/family/who-we-are/officers/rev.-david-hazzard) presented the participants of the conference with the following challenge.  Where are you on the grace or truth spectrum?

Here’s the background: 

Jesus—according to John—came full of grace and truth  

John 1:14* The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:17* For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

John tells us Jesus was ‘full’ of grace and truth.  Being full of grace and truth implies a perfect balance between them.  Jesus was FULL--or better,  ‘filled with’ grace—Jesus was ‘filled with’ truth.

We however—tend to be wired toward one end of the spectrum. 

The Truth end of the spectrum tends to be defined almost in terms of legalism.  It is almost as if you don’t like the truth—too bad!  Get over it! Truth is black and white. Nothing is grey! Truth is easily defined.  Truth is sure, solid, and foundational.  There is no give and take. It is either right or wrong.  Truth is something you just do. Truth doesn’t require discussion—it requires obedience.  This is Jesus calling a spade a spade.  Truth is ‘looking at a woman with lust’ as the sin of adultery!  This is Jesus watching the rich young ruler walk away because he wasn’t willing to cough up everything!  Truth closes its arm to the disobedient. 

• To be honest this is how we raise children is our culture
• How often have you said, or have a memory of this being said: “Good boy Tommy!  You made your bed!”  So your goodness is an action.  It is you living out the truth. “Bad Tommy!  You didn’t come when I called!”   This is moralism.  To be truthful you have to act it out.  If you do not act it out you are not good!
• To be honest this is the way we tend to preach
• Some of you will remember the little chorus:  “Read your Bible—Pray every day….”  Implied—do this or you are NOT good.  
• This (please excuse this statement) makes great preaching.  People are always sinning—you can beat people up fairly often because people don’t live up to the truth.
• Years ago—this was defined as simply as ladies wearing slacks on Sundays!

The Grace end of the spectrum tends to be defined in terms of amazing!   It has a sweet sound.  It is Jesus forgiving the woman caught in adultery. Grace is warm.  Grace is fuzzy!  Grace saved a wretch like me.  This is Jesus washing Judas’ feet.  This is Jesus—with every ounce of His being rising up and saying: “Father forgive them—they don’t know what they are doing.”  Grace is forgiving.  Grace is forgetting.  Grace is allowing.  Grace is open.  Grace allows the greys.  Grace opens its arms to the least.  Grace heals, delivers, and redeems. 

• This is a difficult thing to practice in parenting —to use the same illustration as above.  It takes a little more time, effort, and thinking.  “Tommy you are a good boy!”  (For no apparent reason!  Not said in response to obedience—but said only out of love and admiration of a parents towards a child)
• Grace has been given a ‘bum-rap’ and has resulted in what many will call hyper-grace.
• Hyper grace is defined (by those who are ‘against it’) as live anyway you want—do anything you want—and God in His absolute graciousness either
• won’t care
• won’t notice
• will forgive you anyways
• Grace—“What’s so amazing about it?”  is a great question!
• Grace is now defined (carrying on the slacks illustration above) wear ANYTHING—just be comfortable.  It’s no one’s business anyway!

Enough of the definitions:  Here is what follows and the outcomes.

1.  Everyone, by nature—tends to favour either truth or grace.  Everyone of us, on the spectrum—cuddle up to one end or the other.  I recall—much to my horror—an evangelistic team that traveled in a bus—playing cards.  By cards I don’t mean snap or fish.  These were the actual cards—you know the poker ones!  The ones my parents taught me were totally evil.  There were NO cards in my house growing up!  This is as 'close to truth as you possibly get' can kind of mentality. 

Grace on the other hand allows smokers to be ushers in our churches.  Grace allows social drinkers on our worship teams.

Grace goes to dances—truth says no!

Grace has a glass of wine—truth says no!

Grace reads the Bible, when I get around to it—truth says, every day!

2.  Once to place yourself, or decide where you are on the spectrum you start reading the Bible, listening to sermon, and praying from that perspective.  That perspective becomes your glasses or your filter through which you view things.

3.  Once you have done that you begin to see God primarily as a ‘Grace God’ or a ‘Truth God.’

4.  Now, you are ready.  

• Your position is secure 
• You process everything from YOUR position
• You relate to God from YOUR position.

Now…watch this!  

• you expect people to view things from your position
• you judge people from your position
• you relate to others and expect them to comply to your position.

So, what is the answer?  Well, thanks for asking!  

John 1:14* The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

It is in the balance.  “You can’t have one without the other!’  Grace people need to spend more time with truth people.  And, truth people need to spend more time with grace people.  And, maybe—just maybe—we could rub off on each other.