It is necessary to understand His preeminence in all things in order to understand the greatness and fullness of His GRACE. The preeminence of Jesus Christ over Moses is indicative of the preeminence of grace over the law, the only two grounds upon which God deals with mankind. The preeminence of grace over law may be as the creator is over the creature, as divine over sinful humans; as spiritual is over the flesh, and as the infinite over finite, and as that which endures over that which passes away.
The beginning verses of the gospel of John are devoted to the proclamation of His preeminence. Throughout the entire message, grace and truth stand out in contrast to law, and how the law is set aside by grace and a new dispensation is enacted. On numerous occasions Jesus brings into direct contrast the law of Moses with the grace and truth that comes only from His preeminence. It must be recognized that His preeminence is not only over Moses but is over all things. This kind of clarity will provide a fuller understanding of the greatness and fullness of His marvelous grace.
Notice. The first few verses in the gospel of John are devoted to the setting forth of His preeminence. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made by Him. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John 1: 1-4). The WORD here is far more than a revelation of God, the word declares He is God! He is not one of His created beings, but He is the one by whom all things were created, “that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers” (Colossians 1:16).
The gospel of John provides the strongest assertion of the deity of Jesus Christ than is declared in any other book in the Bible. Notice, “Which of you convinces me of sin?” (John 8:46) “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58). “I and my Father are one” (10:30). “I am the way, the truth and the life” ( 14:6). The entire purpose of the letter was “that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that by believing you may have life through His name” (20:31). This is the one, the only one, God chose as the messenger to bring grace and truth to a sin cursed and hopelessly lost human race.
Nothing or no one could have adequately revealed the wonders of this grace, for grace is the infinite love and kindness of God toward mankind. Because life is in Him (v.4) it is possible for grace to reign unto eternal life. This is impossible with the law, as Moses was mortal. He could not be the bearer of that which gave life. There is no life-giving power related to the law. The life that was in the word was the light of men. When the law, the ministration of death, was given at Sinai there were thunderings and blackness and darkness (Ex. 20:18; Heb.12:18). This information is vital and cannot be over emphasized. We must never forget that He who brought grace and truth is infinite in His Being, in His Person and in His Works. Because of these truths there can never be any failure in the ministration of His amazing grace.
“And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the father) full of grace and truth” (v.14).
Grace and truth came by the Word that was made flesh and dwelt among men. The word was a living revelation of God. The law is “the letter that was written and engraved in stones” (2 Cor. 3:6,7). A word is the expression of an idea or thought. It conveys an idea or thought from one person to another. The word that was with God and was God conveys a full and adequate expression of God. Because “the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). This expression of God’s great love was manifested to men in clear and understandable human terms.
John wrote: “That which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the Word of life” (1 John 1:1). Indeed “the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14), that man may know God and “that by believing you might have life through His name” (John 20:31). These statements offer life and peace, but such is not so with the law. The law conveys no adequate expression of God. Being “the letter” it is basic and incomplete. It does not reveal God to man.
The entire law may be studied without coming to a clear understanding of the grace of God. In the law there is no revelation of His love. The fact that it was engraved and written upon stones is symbolic of its inability to give life and touch the hearts of men, nor can it be touched by “the feeling of the infirmities of man” as can the living word (Heb. 4:15). The letter of the law does not dwell in peace among men. It stands aloof from them. Yet deluded men try to keep it to somehow discover God and His eternal life. What is found there is not life but a strict demand for righteousness, judgment, and “the wrath of God that is against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of man” (Rom. 1:18). They find a demand for righteousness and judgment but consistently fail to measure up to His righteous demands. It is surely true, “for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life” (2 Cor. 3:6). In writing to the Galatians, who desired to be under the law, Paul declared,
“But now, after that you have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn you again to the weak and beggarly elements where unto you desire again to be in bondage?” (Galatians 4:9).
The Word of God is full of grace and truth wherein many divine operating assets are provided which serve as a mighty fortress for every maturing believer. Unfortunately, there is a superficial and legalistic teaching, quite prevalent at the present time, that associates grace with a license to live as you please. Many uninformed, immature, and legalistic members of God’s family appear to be fearful of the operation of grace lest it’s freedoms lead to careless living. Those who possess this misguided understanding of grace do not comprehend the meaning or concept of grace nor what grace actually does in a believers life. Others may incorrectly emphasize the fact that when grace is taught, truth also must be demanded in the lives of those who are instructed to live under grace.
This concept is fallacious as grace and truth cannot be separated! They do not appear as separate and distinct truths from each other. Grace is grace and does not demand truth; it produces truth. It is not accurate to say that grace is God’s part, and truth is man’s part. God is a God of grace and man’s behavior pattern has no effect or impact on His function under grace. He has always been a God of grace and if He were to surrender any part of His essence because of man’s behavior, He would no longer be a God of grace; His grace would be a contingent characteristic that relates to the behavior of man. Both grace and truth are divine operating assets and are mighty essentials for the successful operation and function in a believers life. When God, who is the God of grace and truth, deals with man He produces truth in the very man with whom he is dealing. It is “the grace of God which brings salvation to the world, that teaches believers to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and live soberly, righteously and godly in the present world, and look for the coming of the Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:11-13).
The grace and truth of God may properly be defined as God’s abounding provision by means of His unsurpassed love for those who depend upon Him. These divine operating assets include not only a means to justify the one who believes in Jesus, but also provides for a life of truth in the individual who is already justified. Grace may properly be defined as all that God is free to do for the believer on the exclusive basis of what Christ has perfectly accomplished on the cross. It is not man by man’s best efforts that are performed to appropriate or receive the favor of God.
No one should ever think of grace apart from truth which is equally important. Let no one think that there can be truth without grace. Because grace offers free pardon from sin, and the law demands righteousness, some assert that the unqualified teachings of pure grace led to carelessness. They perhaps, unknowingly, limit grace by adding the demands of the law. In so doing they fail entirely to see that it is by grace, and grace alone, that man can live a life of consistent truth. They also fail to recognize that “by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20). The purpose of the law is not to produce truth but to reveal sin, which is error and failure. This is the opposite of truth! It expresses man’s great need but can do nothing about it! Notice carefully, “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14). The law cannot produce the slightest degree of truth in humankind.
The addition of law to grace is a contaminated element of the age long conflict between legalism and grace. The beginnings of this conflict are recorded well in this gracious God inspired gospel of John. This message is entitled “The preeminence of Jesus Christ” and He may be beheld closely in the fourteenth verse here in the gospel of John. “We beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father.”
There was a certain glory in the law, but it was a passing glory. “But if the ministration of death was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: how shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? … “For even that which was made glorious has no glory in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts! (2 Cor. 3:7,8,10,11).
The entire passage (2 Cor. 3:6-18) is a contrast between the glory of the law and the everlasting glory of grace. Therefore, in the glorious light of grace, the law now has no glory. The glory of God’s amazing grace is not seen by those under the law. It is only to those who are included in John’s “WE.” Those who rejected Him are not in John’s “we.” Isaiah speaking prophetically of Israel said: “he has no form or comeliness: and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not” (Isa. 53:2,3). It was in the harsh and bitter suffering, by which He fulfilled the demands of the law and then did away with it, that His glory should shine forth on the earth, for it was on the cross that He was glorified (John12:27,28).
This, dear inquirers, is the great glory of our Savior’s amazing grace. When this is clearly seen, there is no glory left in the law. To claim any degree of glory for the law in the present age of grace is to confess a corresponding failure to behold the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father. He is the only one who can save and He fully saves when He is called upon.
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).
He is the one who saves when He is received as the one and only exclusive Savior! “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that BELIEVE on His name” (John 1 :12). He is the One; there is none other!
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved”. (Acts 4:12).
There is one God and only one Mediator who can save your eternal soul. Meditate on this Scripture, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).
You are not too far away to be beyond His gracious gift of eternal life. This gift of eternal life resides only in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. “Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time” (1 Timothy 2:6).
Notice carefully and think about the fact that at this point in time eternal life can be yours by placing a simple act of faith in the only Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ!
