“Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.”

 

We noted briefly last time this description of truth – Grace, mercy and peace.  

 

I want to consider these three components briefly.  

 

In what ways do grace, mercy and peace make up truth?  

 

Grace

 

“because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth;” – Col 1:6

 

The truth is active – we’ve been talking about its effects in the lives of those who belong to God.

 

It is constantly bearing fruit and increasing since we received it and understood (or come to know) the grace of God in truth. To know the truth is to know God’s grace.  

 

Grace – “of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting His holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues.”

 

This is how the truth bears fruit in our lives. It’s the outworking of grace. 

 

All those effects we’ve talked about, would not be possible apart from the grace of God. 

 

Grace is the power behind the truth.  (“by grace you have been saved”) Or you could say it this way – Grace expresses itself through the truth.  It makes itself known in our lives – strengthens and enables us through the word of God.

 

It’s described in Acts 14:3 as, “the word of His grace...”

 

“the word of HIS grace…” “and understand the grace OF GOD in truth.”

 

This grace is from God – He is the source from which grace derives its power. 

 

“And with great power the apostles were giving testimony (proclaiming truth) to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all.” Acts 4:33

 

“And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.” Acts 6:8

 

“But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord

 

The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch. Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord;” – Acts 11:20-23

 

Barnabas saw the preaching of truth and the conversion of souls as the work of the grace of God.

 

You cannot experience grace apart from truth, and you cannot know truth apart from grace. The two are inseparable.  

 

It gives truth the power to save and the power to effect change. 

 

The more we expose ourselves to the truth with a surrendered heart the more we will know and experience the grace – or the power – of God in our lives. Do not think to have a deep understanding of the grace of God if you are not walking in truth.  We cannot call grace an intimate friend if truth is a stranger. 

 

How did we ever come to understand it? What’s behind the grace of God?

 

This leads us to the second aspect of truth and that is – Mercy

 

It’s because of God’s kindness that we come to understand and experience the grace of God. 

 

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” Eph 2:4-7

 

“And you, child, (speaking of John) will be called the prophet of the Most High;

For you will go on BEFORE THE LORD TO PREPARE HIS WAYS;

To give to His people the knowledge of salvation

By the forgiveness of their sins,

Because of the tender mercy of our God,

With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us…” Luke 1:76-78

 

It is according to the mercy of God that He exerts saving power by His grace through the Truth 

 

If Grace is the power, Mercy is the motive.  The incentive behind the action. 

 

Which makes Peace – the Result. Or the Goal. 

 

Continuing in Luke 1:79 –

 

TO SHINE UPON THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH,

To guide our feet into the way of peace.”

 

“But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace…” Eph 2:13-14a

 

The purpose of the gospel is to bring us to God.  To make peace where before there was enmity.

 

Peace is harmony. – this is the final aspect of truth. 

 

Our relationship with God has been made harmonious because of Christ – who is the way, THE TRUTH, and the life

 

Truth is motivated by MERCY, powered by GRACE and it results in PEACE.

 

But, how is it realized? How does this become a reality in our lives?

 

At the time of salvation, but also as we seek to walk in the truth day by day.

 

How do we walk in truth so we experience the mercy, grace and peace of God?

 

We will, by God’s grace J, consider this next time as we start to look at verse 4.

 

 

 

-Augusta