The Balance of Grace and Truth

Closer, Pt. 4 | August 25, 2024Pastor Wes Morris John 1:1-14 (NIV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God...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. ✓ Truth: God’s standard.John 17:17 (TLB) Make them pure and holy through teaching them your words of truth.✓ Grace: God’s favor.✓ Without truth, we become worldly.    Without grace, we become judgmental. ✓ Truth without grace is mean.   Grace without truth is meaningless. ✓ Grace invites us to be free so the truth can set us free. Ephesians 2:8 (NIV) For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God... THE BALANCE OF GRACE AND TRUTH John 8:9-11 (NIV) At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”“No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”I. WALK IN HUMILITY.John 8:6 (TLB) They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger.Philippians 2:3 (ESV) Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.II. SPEAK THE TRUTH IN LOVE.Ephesians 4:15 (TLB) We will lovingly follow the truth at all times—speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly—and so become more and more in every way like Christ who is the Head of his body, the Church.