Embracing Grace and Truth in the Gospel

Well, good morning!

We are in week two of the Gospel. I have to tell you, it's hard to believe it's just my second week on the job. We're getting used to Northern Colorado. My son and I took a hike up to Emerald Lake, and it was beautiful, absolutely gorgeous. We started at Bear Lake and went up to Emerald Lake. As we were hiking, we wondered how far up we had gone, 2,000 or 3,000 feet. But then we realized it was actually just 800 feet. So the only thing I'll be summoning in the near future is a pile of nachos. Anyway, we've really enjoyed it here.

Now, let's talk about the Gospel. This series is all about the central message of Christianity. If you're visiting in Windsor or if you're visiting here and it's been a long time since you've been to church, or maybe you've never been to church or don't know much about the Bible, this series is a great place to start. The Gospel is the core message of Christianity. Without it, Christianity wouldn't be Christianity. So it's vital to our faith.

Last week, we talked about what the Gospel is. If you missed it, we have a podcast. We're also going to talk about Grace and Truth today, the work of the Holy Spirit next week, and how we as a church and followers of Christ live that out in the fourth week.

The Gospel always answers the question, "Why did Jesus die?" That's the central message. Jesus died so that we could be forgiven, redeemed, restored, and made right in the sight of God. It's hard for us to comprehend, but Jesus died so that we could have eternity with Him. Without the Gospel and a dependency on it, a church becomes a liability to God's Kingdom. Growth and buildings are great, but if we're not spreading the Gospel, we're working against what God wants to do on Earth.

I want to dive deeper into the concept of Grace and Truth today. In John chapter 1, verse 14, it talks about how the Word became flesh in the form of Jesus Christ, full of Grace and Truth. In verse 16, it says, "Out of his fullness, we have all received Grace in place of Grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; Grace and Truth came through Jesus Christ."

There are two halves to the Bible: the Old Testament and the New Testament. In the Old Testament, God was primarily about truth and law. It was all about following the rules. But in the New Testament, it's about Grace and Truth. God's contract with us has changed. He still loves us and accepts us, but now we're made right through Grace and Truth that comes through Jesus.

When we talk about Grace, we're talking about God's unconditional love and acceptance. But when we talk about Truth, we're talking about the standard of righteousness that God calls us to. Both Grace and Truth are essential to the Gospel and give it its power.

Sometimes churches focus more on Grace and neglect Truth, or vice versa. But the Gospel is a combination of both. It's not about finding a balance between the two, but fully embracing both Grace and Truth.

Repentance plays a crucial role in the Gospel. Repentance means seeking God and turning away from sin. It's about acknowledging our wrongdoings and surrendering them to God. Repentance is a heart posture that leads to forgiveness and restoration. God is concerned with our heart towards sin, not just the size or magnitude of our sins.

Unrepentant sin is when we intentionally and deliberately continue to sin without seeking forgiveness or turning away from our sinful behavior. God cannot forgive unrepentant sin. However, God restores, redeems, and forgives repentant sinners. When we have a repentant heart, brokenness over our sin, and seek God's forgiveness, He offers His grace and transforms our lives.

So, don't let unrepentant sin weigh you down. Seek God, turn away from sin, and experience His amazing grace and forgiveness.