Grace and Truth

By Danny Saavedra

“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.”—John 1:14 (NIV)

Truthfully, there is no way to capture who God is in words. Even the Bible, the living and active Word, as John said, does not wholly and completely describe the fullness of our God. 

There is not enough ink, lead, paper, or computer data storage to contain Him. So, how does God explain Himself to us? John 1:14 (NIV) tell us, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”

The Greek word for Word is logos. The concept of logos is a powerful, complex, and beautiful idea. The simplest way to explain the Greek philosophy behind it is that logos is the reason or unspoken rationale behind something. The term described a collection of things, put together in thought, and expressed in words. For the Greeks, this word was used “to signify that which gives shape, form, or life to the material universe.” It was the universal reason inherent in all things; the binding laws that sustained all in existence.

In Hebrew culture, it is the dynamic force of God’s will. It conveyed God’s creative activity and will.

So, in John 1:1–2 (NIV) when we read, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning,” the apostle is telling us that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the living embodiment of the Word of God. He is God in the flesh. He is the character, heart, will, and truth of God revealed to the world in all His fullness. 

Friends, if you’re seeking truth, look no further than Jesus, the fullness of God in the flesh. And not only that, but with this truth comes something beautiful and life-changing: grace! Jesus reveals the truth of the world, sin, and man’s desperate state. But He didn’t stop there . . . You see, Jesus, the living Word who “became flesh and made his dwelling among us” gave His life so He could make His dwelling within us (Ezekiel 36:26; Romans 8:9–11; 1 Corinthians 3:16), to put His Word in our hearts and etch it into our very souls.

Today, you can know Him intimately, so much so that you’ll be able to fill all the world’s pages with the work He has done in your life. You can know Him in your soul. You can experience and walk in the Word in a very real way, as He speaks His Word directly into your heart! What a beautiful and amazing thought that is!

DIG: Why does John use the word logos to describe Jesus?

DISCOVER: How are you walking in the grace and truth of Jesus today?

DO: Share this amazing reality of the Word that made His dwelling among us and within us today!