Look to the Cross

“But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

How do you express grace and truth in a spiritual sense? What does it mean to be full of grace, or full of truth? We can look at the one seminal event in all of human history, the moment where grace and truth were fully realized in One person for one reason. If you want to see grace and truth fully on display, look to the cross.

Truth, on full display, said that all have sinned and are deserving of eternal punishment. Truth said that unless the price was paid for sin, no one could be restored to a relationship with God. Truth said God is holy and the punishment for sin is death. When Jesus died on the cross as payment for our sin, it was because Truth demanded nothing less. And His was the only blood that could pay the penalty for sin because Truth demanded the sacrifice be free from all sin.

However, if you want to see grace, also look at the cross. Grace said that, though we were sinners, Jesus died for us. Grace said we did not deserve His sacrifice. Grace showed He gave it anyway. And when we surrender to Jesus we live in that grace all the time, because there is nothing we can do or say to earn His favor. His grace alone is sufficient to cover all our sins.

On the cross, we have a perfect example of God’s wrath against sin. There we also find a supreme example of God’s grace, where He sent His own Son to pay our sin penalty. The Bible says Jesus is “full of grace and truth,” and at Calvary, we see that fullness on full display.

God, I thank You for sending Jesus, full of grace and truth, to save me from my sins. I realize the penalty for sin is death, and that because of Jesus I no longer have to die in sin. I acknowledge the Truth of Your Word, which tells me right from wrong. I am grateful for Your supreme grace, which covered my sin penalty on the cross and gives me the opportunity of eternal life with You. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.