At the beginning of the Gospel of John, Jesus is called “the Word,” and the phrase “grace and truth” is repeatedly associated with Him:
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
A few verses later, the phrase is repeated:
“Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:16-17)
Grace and truth are concepts familiar to most people, but in the Bible they have a very special meaning.
Grace and Truth in the Old Testament
In the Old Testament, grace refers both to “faithful, enduring love” (ḥe-seḏ) and to “favorable help” (hên). The latter is close to the Greek word kharis used by John, which in the New Testament often refers precisely to God’s favor and saving will. Grace is thus deliverance from distress, such as rescue from the hands of the enemy, favor, and the forgiveness of sins. Furthermore, it is God’s eternal love.
The Greek word alētheia, which signifies truth, also corresponds well to the Hebrew concept, which refers not only to truth but also to “faith” and “reliability.” Reliability is indeed a central part of truth—and since the only one who is truly faithful and reliable is God, truth also always comes from God. God’s truth is not mere theory, but it is His faithfulness and reliability. Knowing it has a decisive impact on a person’s life.
In the Old Testament, the phrase “mercy and truth” appears particularly in the Psalms. For example, Psalm 25 states:
“All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.” (Ps. 25:10, see also Ps. 61:8; 85:11 and 89:15)
The original language words used here refer to mercy, which is also love, and truth, which also signifies faithfulness. “Love and faithfulness” can therefore also be replaced with “grace and truth”. The Book of Proverbs uses the same expression:
“Let love and faithfulness never leave you.” (Prov. 3:3).
The NIV translates these expressions as love and faithfulness, whereas the NKJV uses the wording mercy and truth. This highlights how the biblical concepts of mercy, love, faithfulness, and truth are closely connected in the original languages.
The Truth of the Law and the Truth of the Gospel
The Evangelist John offers a key insight into grace and truth by writing that the law was given through Moses, but Jesus brought grace and truth. John thus links Moses and the Law to one another, just as he links grace and truth to the Gospel that proclaims Christ. The Law refers to the Ten Commandments given by God to Moses, which Moses conveyed to the people of Israel (Ex. 24:12; 32:15; 34:1).
In addition to the Gospel, the Law also has its own truth. It expresses God’s will, which humans should obey. It demands that unbelievers fulfill the commandments God has given, which is, however, impossible. Because of original sin and depravity, no human being is capable of fulfilling the Law. Therefore, the truth of the law condemns every person to perdition.
However, God is merciful. He wants people to realize their complete inability to keep the law and, instead of their futile efforts, to begin to seek mercy. The purpose of the law is thus to awaken a sense of sin so that people may begin to seek forgiveness (Rom. 3:20).
The law contains no grace, but by awakening a sense of sin, it drives people to Christ, who is full of grace and truth. Christ lived a sinless life, and through His death and resurrection, He made the grace of forgiveness available to sinful people. Therefore, a person’s only hope is to trust in Christ by faith and, through God’s grace and on the basis of Jesus’ atoning work, have their sins forgiven. Thus, Christ is “the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes” (Rom. 10:4).
We are thus saved from the truth of the law by the gospel, which frees people from their sins. It is absolutely essential to distinguish between the law and the gospel: the gospel contains no demands of the law at all, but only grace and truth. When Jesus said that he himself is the truth (John 14:6), he meant the liberating truth of the gospel, not the demanding truth of the law.
The law has been compared to the light of the moon, and the gospel to the brightness of the sun. A person who has not had their sins forgiven continues to live under the demands of the law as a “child of the night.” In contrast, a person whose sins have been forgiven lives as one who has been forgiven, that is, as a “child of the day” in the brightness of the Gospel. The dim light of the moon—that is, the brightness and truth of the Law—cannot be compared to the light of the sun—that is, the brightness and truth of the Gospel (2 Cor. 3:7–11).
As we noted at the beginning, John calls Jesus “the Word” in his Gospel. According to John, He was born as a human being and was “full of grace and truth.” Truth is therefore the Word, that is, Christ—but truth is also something else. The written word of God, written with a lowercase letter, is the word of truth. Jesus prayed to His Father on behalf of His disciples:
“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17)
Grace guides us to live in truth
According to the Reformer Martin Luther, truth involves, among other things, the struggle of a child of God against sin in their own life:
“The fact that God is merciful to us and, for the sake of the Lord Christ, forgives all sins and does not count them against us as eternal death—that is grace, and that comes first. Truth, on the other hand, is that in addition to this, our future life is also precious to God. This is so despite the fact that after baptism we still feel much deficiency, sin, and evil desire as we struggle against the flesh; God might justifiably punish this sin. This grace and truth were not taught by the law, nor were they given by Moses. In this way, the evangelist distinguishes Christ from Moses.”
The effects of faith and grace on human life are significant. When a person is forgiven of their sins and moves from under the law to under grace, the Holy Spirit—whom John repeatedly calls the Spirit of Truth—begins to teach them a life of truth. Paul expresses this in his letter to Titus:
“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.” (Tit. 2:11-12)
Luther, for his part, explains:
“Thus, not only grace begins in us, but also truth—that is, a righteous life, as the law requires. John also says—that Christ was full of grace and truth, and that through him grace and truth have come to us as well, which neither Moses nor the law can give. For grace does not abolish the law in such a way that truth is set aside, so that we would not love God, etc., but through him we are forgiven for not being able to keep the law sufficiently in the realm of forgiveness of sins—that is, in the realm of grace—even though we should keep it. It is precisely for this purpose that we are given the Holy Spirit, who kindles in us a new flame and fire, namely, love and a desire for God’s commandments. This must begin in the kingdom of grace and continue on and on until the very last day.” (Luther, Church Postil, Sermon from the Gospel for the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity)
In explaining the truth, Luther speaks at length about the life of faith, or “righteous living,” which is the work and fruit of the Holy Spirit. In the believer’s life, the law is fulfilled through faith in Christ, for Christ has fulfilled the law.
Grace First, Then Truth
It is important for believers living in God’s church to maintain the proper order of grace and truth in their lives. This order—in which grace comes first and truth follows—is no coincidence.
The precedence of grace means that God’s children preach the forgiveness of sins to the sinner without conditions. Grace is followed by truth, which manifests itself in the repentant person through faith—God’s faithfulness, which begins to be seen outwardly as the fruits of faith. It can also be said that a person who has repented receives Christ within: the Word, who is the truth.
Grace and truth have their own roles. In sermons, teachings, and discussions, grace nourishes and truth instructs. If grace is preached without truth, it leads to a false kind of freedom. Then a person begins to think that they have permission to sin because they have received grace. If, on the other hand, the truth of God’s law is placed before grace, a person is required to perform works in order to receive grace. This leads to “righteousness by one’s own works,” which is not God’s righteousness.
Faith inspired by the Holy Spirit is never based on works. Paul urged the Galatians to avoid the bondage of the law:
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Gal. 5:1)
If a child of God falls into sin and strays, other believers have a duty to counsel the sinner toward repentance (Gal. 6:1). This guidance must be given in love, not with a harsh and judgmental spirit. When this happens, grace precedes truth. Generally speaking, a merciful approach and conversation bear good fruit, unlike a merciless attitude toward one’s neighbor. We cannot place ourselves above another, but only alongside them. The model for showing love is Christ, who prayed for those who crucified him:
“Father, forgive them. They do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)
Jesus had a merciful heart even toward those who crucified him. Yet he did not gloss over their evil deeds. He named their sins and asked God to forgive them. Even at that moment, he was full of grace and truth.
Author: Kingdom of Peace