Truth and Grace

Have I blogged about this before? I don’t know. Maybe I have. I’m not good with details... not even the details that come out of my own brain. I forget. Remembering. Now I know I have blogged about that before. But here we go. Back to truth and grace.

When I moved to Oakhurst 3 years ago...... You know you live in a weird place when everyone you know can tell you how long they lived here. It’s like some weird countdown we are all making so we have a frame of reference. Personally, I think it’s a contest to see who can remain sane the longest living in this quirky mountain town. Back again, to my schizophrenic blog. When I moved here, I had a heart-to-heart discussion with my mother-in-law. She can be really good for that sort of thing. Virginia, if you are reading, I love you!

Me: I feel like God is teaching me about truth and grace and I wrestle with them. I feel like I have to choose between them somehow. They both vie for my attention and I can’t seem to figure out on whose side I fall.

Mother-in-law: Aren’t they the same thing?

Whoa. Leave it to the wisdom of the wise to send you reeling for 3 years trying to figure out if she’s right.

Another mother-in-law favorite: God is the perfect parent and look how His kids turned out!

But I’ll try not to digress anymore. Truth and grace. Bedfellows? Anyone?

This is what I know, or at least what I think I know.

Truth is found in God’s Word alone. Christians, for the most part, acknowledge that. If you want to get technical, Sola Scriptura (by scripture alone) is the infant of the Protestant Reformation and isn’t as old as we like to pretend that is. But again, for the most part, Truth is God’s and He communicates truth from His Word, the Bible.

Grace. Christians, generally speaking, cling to the Old Rugged Cross while using more infants of the Protestant Reformation to make the point. Sola Fide (by faith alone) or Sola Gratia (by grace alone). We don’t deserve the free pass to Heaven that we get when we come to Christ. That’s grace. Otherwise known as “unmerited favor” in evangelical circles. True theologians, however, understand that grace came before the Cross. Noah received grace. So did Abraham. The list goes on. God has been giving free passes since the dawn of time.

Okay. So where does one go with this, assuming I am right that truth and grace are twin sisters?

They don’t stand alone. They can’t. They aren’t just twin sisters they are conjoined twins! That’s what my mother-in-law meant! They DIE if they are separated because they share a heart!

Think about it. Truth lacking grace is condemnation. Grace lacking truth is chaos. Neither are safe places to live. They are bedfellows. They are syncretic. (Did I use that word correctly? Catey? You reading my blog or getting ready for graduation?)

So what happens in our lives when we err on EITHER side?

We are not safe people when we don’t tell the truth or live the truth. We are not safe people because we condemn ourselves or others. We are not safe people when we bask in the favoritism of God because we inevitably shirk responsibility or take on everyone else’s. We are not safe people because we create chaos.

WE are not safe people because we become KILLERS. We separate 2 things that are meant to live together. When we err on either side, we kill the heart of God.

1 John says: Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Both.

Search me oh God...and give me your heart.