Posts by Yong Joo Park:
Grace
Today, let us study on ‘Grace’ in John 1:17b (“grace and truth came through Jesus Christ”)
I. Definition
Grace is a free gift from God. The gift is ‘righteousness’ (precisely, the Righteousness of God, as opposed to self-righteousness). The Righteousness of God is the ticket to the Paradise. So, the gift is also ‘salvation’.
II. Origin
Grace began with Abraham’s righteousness of faith (Genesis 15:6) [2] well before the law was given.
6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
God credited ‘belief (faith)’ to Abram as righteousness. Abram was renamed Abraham (Genesis 17:5).
III. Faith vs Work
The difference between ‘work’ and ‘faith’ is explained in Romans 4:4-5.
4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.
We can become righteous only by ‘faith’. Why can righteousness not be obtained by ‘work’ (= by keeping the entire law of Moses)?
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. (James 2:10)
Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. (Romans 3:20)
IV. Conclusion
Even though we are sinners according to the law, we can be forgiven by grace.
Grace is free to us, but costly to God [3] because He had to pay for the penalty of our sins on the cross.
References
[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition, 2011). (2011). (Revised and updated edition). London: Hodder & Stoughton.
[2] Lange, J. P., & Schaff, P. (2008). A commentary on the Holy Scriptures: John (p. 77). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
[3] The Grace of God Revealed in Jesus Christ. Dec 2016. https://www.bbgb.org/the-grace-of-god-revealed-in-jesus-christ
Grace and Truth through Jesus Christ
John 1:17b grace and truth came through Jesus Christ I. The Law gave them the shadow but not the reality (Colossians 2:17, Hebrews 10:1) The law was ‘given’ (17a). The Jews relied on the law and boasted in God (Romans 2:17). Even though they had the law, they didn’t know grace and truth. Their hearts were […]
The Word became flesh (Part 3a)
III. Grace and Truth (16, 17) See v16. 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. This emphasizes ‘grace’ – grace upon grace, abundant grace. See v17. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. “For the law was given through Moses” […]
The Word became flesh (Part 2)
II. John’s Testimony about Jesus (15) See v15. 15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, ‘This is the one I spoke about when I said, “He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.” ’) This John is Baptist (or Witness) John. He was an excellent prophet like Elijah. So, people […]
The Word became flesh (Part 1)
John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. “The Word became flesh” (14a) ‘the Word’ existed before the creation, before our time and space ever existed. ‘the Word’ […]
The true light that gives light to everyone
John 1:6-13 6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming […]
In Him was Life
John 1:1-5 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. […]
The Unclean and the Clean
Ezekiel 44:23 23 They are to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean. I. The sin of ‘not teaching the unclean and the clean’ (Ezekiel 22:26) Via the prophet Ezekiel, God pointed out the sins of priests in Jerusalem […]
The Sins that brought the End
Ezekiel 22:1-31 In chapter 22 of the book of Ezekiel, God declares through His prophet, Ezekiel to reveal the sins of Jerusalem that caused the coming judgement of God. I. Bloodshed and Idolatry that brought the Judgement of God (1-5) In Jerusalem (her), they have shed blood and have become defiled by the idols they have […]
The Parable of the Great Banquet
Luke 14:12-24 In v12-14, Jesus taught them to invite, if they give a luncheon or dinner, the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and to be blessed. “Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” (13) In v15-24, Jesus taught the parable of the great banquet. v15 […]
