John 1:17 Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

 

For the law was given through Moses.  Until the time of Christ the canonical Old Testament writings consisted of the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms.  Most of the Psalms were composed by David and Asaph.  Seventeen different prophets are identified as the source of the prophetic books.  But all of the laws in the five books written by Moses are ascribed to Him.

 

As a preface to our examination of the difference between the law and grace, we should recognize the authority of Christ, our fountainhead of grace.  The late Risto Santala spent much of his life in Israel studying the ancient Hebraic writings.  The Rabbinical Fathers attest to the fact that Christ would indeed augment the words of Moses.  The following excerpts may be accessed at http://www.ristosantala.com on the page titled "THE MESSIAH AS THE SECOND MOSES"

 

[The Midrash literature on Moses speaks of the 'First' and the 'Last' Saviours. Midrash Rabbah on Ecclesiastes relates how R. Berechiah said in the name of R. Yits .hak, who lived before the year 300 AD, that:

"Just as there was a First Saviour so there will be a Last. Just as it is said of the First Saviour (Ex. 4:20) that 'He took his wife and sons and put them on a donkey', so it is said of the Last Saviour that 'He is lowly and riding on a donkey'(Zech. 9:9). As the First Saviour provided manna (Ex. 16), as it is written, 'Behold I will pour out bread from heaven upon you,' so will the Last Saviour, as it is written (Ps. 72:16), 'Let corn abound throughout the land'. Just as the First Saviour opened a fountain, so the Last Saviour will provide water, as it is written (Joel 3:18), 'A fountain will flow out of the LORD'S house'."]- Midrash Qoheleth Rabbati 1. 

Be sure to access Risto's webpage to learn how he derives the following conclusion. 

[We have seen that in the light of the old Jewish literature the Messiah is to be a "Second Moses" and the "Last Saviour"; he will be called by the name "Lord"; grace and truth will be united in him; he will be conceived by the Holy Spirit; he will speak and act in the name of God, and that will be his distinguishing "sign"; in this way he will show himself to be Moses "redivivus". All of these features apply to Jesus.] - Emphasis added

but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  God gave us both the law and grace, therefore, both are good and beneficial.  Jesus countered the accusation that He had come to abolish the law by responding; Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.  For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. - Matthew 5:17,18

 

The law was given for the necessary purpose of maintaining order in the midst of a fallen world.  But the law also confronts imperfect man with a perfect standard which reveals to us our inner defect caused by the corruption of sin.  We are convicted by our inability to live up to God's standard, leaving us with an unsolvable delemma as to how we might withstand the judgment of a holy God.  The Apostle Paul said it is this predicament that points us to grace as the only solution.

 

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.  Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. - Romans 3:19,20

 

In Galatians 3:21-25, Paul explains that law and grace are not in opposition to one another.  Is the law then against the promises of God?  Certainly not!  For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.  But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.  But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.  Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

 

You see, the corruption of sin has stained every man with the defect of inner corruption; a stain which can only be removed by living a perfect life in obedience to every law of God - a life that no one but Jesus has lived.  But God has made a way that the stain might be removed through the sacrifice of His Son on the cross.

 

"Come now, and let us reason together,"
Says the Lord,
"Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool." - Isaiah 1:18

 

And even though this divine salvation from sin is supernatural, it is not beyond reason.  For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off.  It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?'  Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?'  But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it. - Deuteronomy 30:11-14

 

So how might we understand the mechanics of salvation?  Some have used the acronym for grace: God's Riches At Christ's Expense.  Others have called it "The Great Exchange, as described in 2nd Corinthians 5:21; For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.  This gift of grace bestowed upon those who believe in Christ is the complete forgiveness of sins, and the appropriation of God's righteousness - it is the righteousness of God imparted as a gift upon those who are incapable of righteousness on their own.  It cannot be earned.  It can only be accepted.  It is not based on our personal merit.  It's based on the perfect sacrifice which Jesus offered for us on the cross.

 

For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.  But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. - Titus 3:3-7

 

But why does John say that truth came through Jesus?  Jesus often began His statements; "Truly, truly, I say to you. . ."  Jesus spoke with authority from the full knowledge of the Godhead.  And Jesus is the true and only way to be reconciled to the Father.  Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

 

But the life of God, eternal life, is honest life.  It is a whole and wholesome life that is complete in Christ.  It is true life that sets men free to be who they were created to be.  How broken is man in his fallen state!  How he is held back by his insecurity, by his circumstances, by mistakes and misfortunes.  But all the while he attempts to hide his inner dissatisfaction as he searches within and without for his own identity; only to be more and more disenchanted with the imperfection of his fallen state.

 

But Jesus came to give us life, abundant life; true life, as life was meant to be - free from the corruption of guilt, of sin, and even of the fear of death.  The New Covenant is the covenant of grace and truth.  It has been said that this gospel is so simple that it might be stated in four words; "Christ died for me."

 

Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.  For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?  And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. - Hebrews 9:12-15

 

If Christ did all of the work, is there anything left for us to do?  Yes; believe it!  How can you indicate that you understand that the only way to obtain righteousness is through Christ - and that you are placing your faith Him?  Consider confessing what you believe to God and to others.

 

 For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, "The man who does those things shall live by them."  But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down from above) or, “‘Who will descend into the abyss?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).  But what does it say?  "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." - Romans 10:5-11