Almost every theological error in the past or present has, at its core, been a failure to recognize and affirm tension in the biblical teaching on a particular issue. Our fallen tendency is to affirm one area of God’s truth over against another. Early Christians struggled with affirming both the full deity and full humanity of Christ.

Last month we had an amazing message on faith and patience to remind us we need both in order to thrive. When we just lay hold of faith to the neglect of being patient, we no longer run on track in God’s kingdom.

In John 1:14 it says that Jesus, the Word, was “full of grace and truth”. He is both. There are many who get excited about truth, but neglect grace and so the pendulum swings from one extreme to another. That is not God’s way.

Jesus’ words are far more intentional than we could ever imagine, likewise what Jesus did. We need the truth of the Gospel and the grace of the Lord.

Peter in Acts 2:38 said, “Repent and believe”. It is not just “believe” – it is “repent and believe”. We need the Holy Spirit’s conviction to repent and the grace of God to believe. The lost art of repentance has robbed the church of being separate from the world and a safe place. Much preaching has exposed sin but has not set us free from sin. The results is that there is no conviction of sin or the fear of God in God’s house.

The work of the Holy Spirit is to convict of sin, righteousness and judgement. The truth of the Gospel without the conviction of the Holy Spirit is just information, not revelation.

In this time of grace God grants sinners the opportunity to repent and seek Him while he may be found. Divine judgement is unavoidable. Luke 13:3 “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish”. If we repent, we have the grace to change. If we confess our sins to one another we will walk in the light as He is in the light and the blood of Jesus will cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:7).

We need to experience the truth and that truth will set us free. Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no-one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Let us move forward on both the rails of grace AND truth.