Newsletter - May (Grace and Truth)

From the pastor’s desk…

“Grace without truth pampers, confuses, and even deceives. Truth without grace cuts, wounds, and destroys.” These words come from W. P. Campbell in his book Turning Controversy into Church Ministry. When Jesus calls us to obedient holy living, he gives us his word, the words of the Bible, to teach us and guide us in becoming more like him. When Jesus calls us to walk by the Spirit, he gives us the great gift of grace, unmerited favor, to enable us to know more and more about God’s love for us and for the world. We learn from our sacred text that there are none righteous; we all fall short of the glory of God. We also learn that we are called to a holy life that needs the scripture to determine what that life may look like. Grace and truth are inseparable in this journey.
When Jesus was asked about the woman caught in adultery in John 8, he did not call her names, demean her in any way, but instead the turned to the crowd who wanted to stone her to death and challenged them: “If any of you are without sin, cast the first stone.” After the crowd dispersed, Jesus asked the woman if there was anyone left who condemned her… “no one, sir.” This is God’s immense grace!
Then Jesus turns to the truth of scripture with these words: “Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.” Grace…neither do I condemn you, and truth…leave your life of sin. Jesus extends a call to repentance in this story. His very first sermon was a call to repentance (Matt. 4:17). Jesus did not hide the truth, but he elevated the truth to a greater degree for the holy life. Jesus did not exclude grace, but he embraced sinners and called them to new life.
Grace and truth. To have one without the other is destructive and divisive. Perhaps this is where the Presbyterian Church USA has failed. We are willing to offer grace without truth on one side, and truth without grace on the other. We have ignored the truth of scripture, but we have also failed to embrace those whom God loves. We have forgotten to seek the goal of becoming like Jesus Christ who was and is filled with grace and truth (John 1:14), and furthermore, from his fullness we have all received grace upon grace (John 1:16). “Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). I believe we are all called to live by God’s grace and truth. This is what leads us to a holy life. The Bible offers us the means to truth and holy living. The Bible also shows us the grace given us to love God and one another and to enable us to live by God’s truth. Grace does not call one to compromise the truth, but the truth does not communicate without grace. “Grace without truth pampers, confuses, and even deceives. Truth without grace cuts, wounds, and destroys.” We are called to both truth and grace. Therefore we cannot use truth to wound others, nor can we use grace in such a way that deceives.
This is what I have learned through W.P. Campbell. It is what I pray for you and for myself and for the Church…grace and truth. I am reminded of two encouraging words from the apostle Paul: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Col. 3:16) and “Grace be with you” (Col. 4:18). Ω