Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ – Joseph Prince

“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” – (John 1:17 NIV)

As you may have noticed from earlier blogs, I have been really blessed lately by the teachings of Joseph Prince. I feel that he speaks very eloquently of Grace and, as a recovering legalist, it is a message I certainly need to hear!

Here are a few notes and quotes from this teaching:

God is not about behavior modification, he is about heart transformation.

People worry that if you preach only grace, that people will have a license to sin. But have you noticed that people are sinning without a license? But this isn’t what Scripture says will happen if we preach grace:

“Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.” (Romans 6:14 NLT)

“For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed (by this grace) to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed.” (Titus 2:11-13)

No one in the church, it seems, teaches pure law, but a mixture of law and grace. But Jesus said you cannot put new wine (grace) in an old wineskin (law).

There has been a change in our relationship to the law since the cross.

The law condemns the best of us, but grace saves the worst of us.

God calls the law written in stone, the ministry of death. He is speaking of the ten commandments:

“Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?” (2 Corinthians 3:7-8 NIV)

Grace is the ministry of the Spirit!

You cannot be under water and not be wet any more than you can be under grace and not be holy.

Those who are loved best, love best. Those who know that are forgiven totally and completely, forgive others totally and completely.

Love is the fulfilling of the law. Grace is God’s unconditional love love for you completely independent of our performance. You can’t mess this up, for where sin abounds grace much more abounds.

“God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.” (Romans 5:20 NLT)

We love because he first loved us. We love God, and we love each other, as we are loved by God – as we allow his love to permeate our hearts. Are you letting yourself be loved by God?