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My girlfriend called me soon after leaving her obstetrician’s office. Maybe she had a lot more to say, but in the moment all I heard was, twins. My response echoed every other one she’d heard the previous couple of hours, “Are you serious?”
Twins, in every way we are fascinated with them. We watch twins carefully. We study their behaviors. We are amazed at the continuum of unity which they carry through their lives. Studies have shown, even when separated from birth, when reunited in adulthood each twin easily testifies to their truth of somehow knowing their twin all their life. How is it that two people can spend their upbringing a world apart yet still resonate a unity indissoluble? They’re identical no matter how far apart they are because they were both developed from and share a single origination point, but their live’s are unfulfilled as twins unless and until they are brought together. And what a wonderful, beautiful reunion it is.
There are twins in the Bible, too. The same is true of them: born from a single originator, uniquely individual yet inseparable in design, and perfected together.
John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
If we’re not careful we will separate these twins: grace and truth. Google grace and you will have more quotes and quips than you can read in a day. It’s not the same for truth, yet they’re twins for a reason. If you’re a mom, you want your children to learn to be graceful. If you’re alive, you want to receive grace from each of your relationships. But grace isn’t needed unless there’s first truth. Think about it; when did you last hope for-or receive- grace from your husband, your boss, your banker? After you messed up, right? First comes the hard truth, and truth doesn’t sit as easily as grace, does it? Truth isn’t fun to talk about. Truth isn’t decorated up for social media oooo’s and ahhh’s. When do we want to teach our children about grace? We teach them what grace is and how it looks in their lives either after they choose poorly and the ill-effects of that choice looms, or when they find themselves the unwilling recipient of someone else’s wrong choice and they want to react in an ungodly way.
2 Cor 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Gal 3:3 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men
Because we are sinners, grace is. Because Jesus is love, grace is. Because Jesus took the truth of our sin to the cross of calvary for us, we have opportunity to take the truth of our sin and meet Him at the cross. (Romans 5:17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive an abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!) There we receive His perfect grace. Our sin. His sacrifice. There is no grace without truth.
Truth & Grace; watch carefully, where you see grace, you’ll first have to see truth. When you see truth, God’s beautiful Grace overwhelms!
In just a couple months I’ll leave mid-50’s behind and steam ahead to 60 years of life, should the Lord allow. I’ve been Queen recipient of Grace in my life because, as the truth is, I’ve messed up more times than I could count, but God’s grace…incredible, grace, has been there for me every time. Even in the consequences I so deserve to live out, and at times the pain of my own sin is heavy-but right-still, His Grace overwhelms me. Jesus offers every one of us that same Grace. Do you need it today?
John 1:15-17 John testified concerning Him. He cried out, saying, “This is He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’” 16. From His fullness we have all received GRACE upon GRACE. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Dear Lord my God, what more is there? Your grace washes me and covers the truth of my sin as I turn to You. Please forgive me, Lord. Thank you for grace, grace, God’s grace. Thank you, for awakening me to Your truth and the truth of who I am as a sinner and who I am as your beloved daughter. Your grace, Lord, how could it be? I’m so humbled at the knowledge and reception of Your grace in my life. Praise You, Lord. I love You. Grace that is greater than all my sin.
