Acts 4:16-20.
16 “What should we do with these men?” they asked each other. “We can’t deny that they have performed a miraculous sign, and everybody in Jerusalem knows about it. 17 But to keep them from spreading their propaganda any further, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in Jesus’ name again.” 18 So they called the apostles back in and commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than Him? 20 We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”
This very thing that happened to the Apostles has happened to us as we teach and preach the glorious, ridiculous, radical, inexhaustible Grace of God. Teaching the grace of God is teaching in the name of Jesus. Because Jesus is Truth. Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life….” So truth is not something, it’s someone.
Then again in John 1:16 and 17. Here it is in the Easy To Read Version (ERV).
16 Yes, the Word was full of grace and truth, and from Him we all received one blessing after another. 17 That is, the law was given to us through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
It couldn’t be any clearer. It says the Word was FULL of Grace and Truth. Jesus is the Word and He’s also Truth, but He’s also Grace. Look at Galatians 1:6. Here it is in the NAS: “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel;”
Did you notice that bolded portion? The grace of Christ is the Good News, it is the Gospel. It’s clear, because it goes on to say they deserted or turned away from the Gospel of the Grace of Christ for another gospel. Also, don’t miss the portion of that scripture that says “from Him we all received one blessing after another”. How did we all receive blessings? From Him. Not from our performance. Not from our good works. Not from obeying religious, man-made rules, not from reading our bible everyday, not from going to church every time the doors are open, not from tithing, but from Him. No strings attached.
Again, that’s why I always say “don’t read the bible….study the bible”. If you don’t, you’ll miss the powerful truths and mysteries that God has hidden for us and not from us in scripture. Don’t get me wrong…there’s nothing wrong with “studying” your bible or going to church, unless your doing it out of a position of “have to” instead of “want to”.
You notice I didn’t include the statement that there’s nothing wrong with tithing, because tithing as taught for so long infers a “have to” or being compelled to give a certain amount, which reduces your giving to an algebraic equation rather than a matter of the heart. Well, giving a certain amount is not what scripture says. I'll explain this further in a future blog on tithing. Also, get a copy of the book “The Tithe that Binds” by Rory O. Moore.
Now I didn’t say that giving is bad, because that is the New Covenant way. But again, it’s giving according to the purposes of your heart, not the edict of some errant teaching from misinformed leaders. Remember, they are not bad people. They are simply teaching what they know and believe to be truth. They are ignorant to the truth.
I didn’t say they were dumb or stupid. Ignorance simply means they haven’t received a revelation of the truth. Scripture says “ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free”. So, if the knowledge of the truth shall make you free, then it’s error that binds you. So they are simply in error and we, as people of great grace, should have compassion for them. Wanting them to be set free from this burden of untruth. “Until grace moves from judgement to compassion, everything you do will seem difficult”.
So we see that Jesus, The Word, was full of grace and truth, and that grace and truth are always together. Need further proof? Look at the next verse in John 1. It explains it.
17 That is, the law was given to us through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Again we see grace and truth always together. So when you teach the Truth, the gospel of Grace, you are teaching in Jesus name, because He’s the Word, full of Grace and Truth. Are you still with me? Good. Look again at that verse 17, because you’ll notice it says the law was given. That speaks of distance and rigidity of rule. But it says that grace came. Jesus doesn’t send anything in a commanding way, He comes to us with grace and declaration.
As we continue this subject, we'll see that nothing moves these Apostles from their task of spreading the Good News. Grace and Peace.
