The Power of Grace & Truth

John 1:17 (NASB) 

17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.

The law given by Moses is not the same as the truth that came through Jesus. Moses came with the Old Covenant—the law, but Jesus came with the New Covenant—grace and truth. These two covenants are being contrasted here by the Apostle John. This is because Jesus also contrasted them in his parables and many teachings.

The Law is perfect, but it has no power to save.  It’s intended to show the perfect standard of God, and in turn show us our need for a savor, which is Jesus.  

Romans 1:1 (NASB) — Romans 1:16 (NASB) 

1 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 

Paul’s gospel, was the “gospel of God”, given to him directly by Jesus. 

The Gospel message is the Power of God unto Salvation.  This means that the Gospel message, in and of itself, has power to save and change a person’s life completely.  Power = dynamis in Greek which means (miraculous) power, might, strength. 

Grace and Truth, the gospel, are powerful save anyone who believes it.  If the messages we speak (or hear in our churches, or meetings, etc.) if they have no power to save, then something is missing, and we need to know why it’s powerless—what’s missing—so we can be a light to the world.  We need a clear revelation of the gospel message in order for it to have power in our lives and the lives we influence around us.