THE LAW WAS GIVEN BY MOSES, BUT GRACE AND TRUTH CAME BY JESUS CHRIST

THE LAW WAS GIVEN BY MOSES, BUT GRACE AND TRUTH CAME BY JESUS CHRIST

Evangelicals reason that John 1:17 which says " For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." means the law was abolished since in their reasoning the law did not come from God or that before Jesus' incarnation men was saved in law keeping and after Jesus' incarnation men was saved by a grace that is void of law keeping. But if Moses is actually the one that actually give the law and the bible tells us we will be judged by the law - James 2:12, then Moses would be greater than God and furthermore why should God judge us by something that is abolished.

[Jesus is coming soon and he shall judge all men by His law, we must do our best to bring the truth to those deceived by the wiles of the devil.]

In fact the graceness and truthness of the law (the law being the writtings of the five books of Moses) came through Jesus Christ, thus the same Moses to whom God spake the law and he wrote it, is the same Moses God revealed Grace and truth to and he wrote it. For example in Exodus 33:13 "Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people." And in Exodus 34:5-6 "And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord.

6 And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,"

Also consider on the ocasions when Christ was asked of the greatest commandment or what one should do to inherit eternal life - Christ related the Grace and truth (since grace and truth converts) and the ten commandments in the writtings of Moses, in speaking of loving God with all the heart and soul and keeping the 10 commandments. In fact Moses wrote under direction from God- that God would circumcize the heart of His people to love Him with all their soul this refers to grace. And associated with loving God is keeping His commandments. In the same way faith which works by love (Gal.5:6) is dead without works, so is having love for God without keeping His commandments.

The point being made in John 1:17 is that the revelation of God which is in Grace and truth could only be related DIRECTLY from God to your mind by God Himself (John 1:18 shows the context of the verse when it says "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”). God reveals Himself to us for our justification or our recreation which God alone can do, and is done by Him through the revealed truth (the faith) or word so that we are then considered born of the word of truth (James 1:18,21) or justified by faith (the revealed truth) when we are recreated. And that recreation is done by God's mercy or grace. Consider the following Scriptures below:

Titus 3:5-7 shows recreation through Grace or mercy. I quote: "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

James 1:18,21 shows we are created inwardly by the word of truth: "18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls."

Eph.2:8,10 shows by His Grace through faith He creates us as His workmanship unto good works: "8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

1Peter 1:23 Shows we are born again of the "word of God"

Thus the distinction being made in John 1:17 is really what God uses to remake us in justification, is Grace and Truth revealed to our hearts by Christ Jesus through the Holy Spirit who gives us Christ through the truths of Christ. When we are unconverted the law points out our state by showing us that our unconverted state is causing us to break the commandments and points us to the Saviour who saves us or frees us from sin. This He does through the truth - As it is written in John 8:32-36 : "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?

34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 

36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."

This is why Paul said in Rom.3:20: " Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin."

However by grace through the truth (the faith of Jesus) those that believe shall be justified that is made Holy.

Amen.

P.S. Jesus is coming soon and he shall judge all men by His law, we must do our best to bring the truth to those deceived by the wiles of the devil.