“For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.”
—John 1:17     

Reflection

I meet countless believers who walk out their faith as if the holiness of the Law and the grace of Jesus Christ are in opposition and God must be one or the other. They view the Old Testament commandments of God, the Law, as incompatible and mutually exclusive with the New Testament theme of grace found through Yeshua HaMashiach.

As a result, many people ultimately experience a core misunderstanding of God. They see Him as only a God of law in the Tanakh and only a God of grace in the B’rit Hadashah.

This is not the case.

The early Jewish church understood the Law to be God’s commands given in order to bring about blessing. But as the church became increasingly separated from its Jewish roots, many Gentile believers began to see the Law as a burden to be cast off.

Jesus often rebuked the Pharisees and religious leaders for following the Law yet forgetting its intent. But that did not mean the Law itself was obsolete or evil. The problem was its misuse. When believers failed to separate the Law’s true purpose from the way it had been misused, they tossed out the baby with the bathwater.

This misunderstanding can even affect the way we read Scripture.

John 1:16–17 was translated in the King James Version, “And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” Yet the word but was added by the translators. It is not in the ancient manuscripts on which the translation was based.

That single word creates a contrast.

Imagine your boss saying, “You did a really good job on this, but…” You immediately expect something negative to follow. If someone says, “Your dress looks really nice, but…” or a mechanic says, “Your car runs great, but…” you know a shift is coming. The word but sets up opposites.

And that is exactly the problem when we read John 1:17 as though Moses and Jesus are being placed against one another.

The Law given through Moses and the grace and truth realized through Yeshua are not revelations of two different Gods. God did not abandon holiness when Jesus came, nor did grace suddenly appear because the Law had failed.

Beloved, we must know God as He truly is. His holiness and His grace are not enemies. The same God who gave His commands through Moses revealed His grace and truth through Messiah Jesus.

Application

• Refuse to divide God into a God of Law in the Old Testament and a God of grace in the New Testament. He is the same God.
• Ask the Lord to help you understand the true purpose of His commands without separating them from His grace and truth.

Prayer

Father, help me to know You as You truly are. Deliver me from any false picture that sets Your holiness against Your grace. Give me understanding to see the true purpose of Your commands and the fullness of Your grace revealed through Yeshua HaMashiach. Teach me to receive both Your truth and Your mercy without placing them in opposition. I want my understanding of You to be shaped by who You have revealed Yourself to be. In Messiah Jesus’ name, amen.