The Grace That Is Only True in Jesus
Grace is the treasure, but truth is the lock—and only Christ opens both.
Devotional Credit: In Christ by E. Stanley Jones
Photo Credit: Unsplash
God’s grace is not a general kindness floating in the cosmos—it is defined, shaped, and manifested in the person of Jesus Christ. While God’s love is universal, His grace cannot be distributed apart from the truth of His own character. And that character has been fully revealed in Jesus. So while it may seem generous for grace to be extended through other avenues—through idols, ideas, or efforts apart from Christ—it would actually violate the very nature of God. He cannot express grace in ways that contradict His own holiness and truth. If He did, He would misrepresent Himself and deceive the recipient about what is truly good.
Grace, then, is not an abstract concept. It is a Person. “Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). Anything less than Christ is not grace—it’s sentimentality or shadow. But in Christ, grace becomes real, full, abundant, and always aligned with the truth of God. Outside of Him, God gives only enough to stir hunger, never enough to satisfy. For to satisfy a soul apart from Christ would be to affirm a life disconnected from reality. And that would be a false grace—a misrepresentation of both God and the moral fabric of His creation. But in Christ, God gives with both hands. And in receiving from Him, we are receiving from grace itself—grace inseparable from truth.
Personalized Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit
My grace does not drift freely like mist through the world. It is not a kindness detached from truth or a compassion that ignores reality. My grace is not a concept, it is a Person—Christ Jesus, in whom all the fullness of My character dwells.
I have loved the world, but My grace is known only where My Son is received. For in Him, I give without measure. In Him, you find Me without distortion. In Him, I give with both hands, because in Him My nature is fully revealed and never compromised. You are not left to wonder what I am like—I have shown you My face in Christ. He is the image of My invisible glory, and the truth of grace made visible.
When you draw near to Me in Jesus, you do not come to a fog of divine emotion, but to the solid substance of truth that sets you free. My grace, when received through Him, does not simply pardon—it transforms. It redefines you. It renews you. It lifts you into union with Me. This is why I withhold full satisfaction from those outside of Christ—not in cruelty, but in mercy. I stir longing, not to frustrate, but to lead home.
Do not seek grace anywhere else. It cannot be found in the ideas of men, the idols of religion, or the systems of self. It flows only through the wounds and the risen life of My Son. And in Him, you lack nothing.
Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 1:4, John 1:17, Colossians 1:15, Hebrews 1:3, Romans 5:17, Ephesians 1:7, Titus 2:11
Real-Life Analogy
It’s like a locked safe with only one key that fits. You could try other keys—some may rattle or almost turn—but only one will open it. The treasure inside is real, but the door won’t yield to guesswork. Jesus is the key. Not just one option among many, but the only one cut to match the nature of God. Grace is the treasure, but truth is the lock—and only Christ opens both.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, thank You for giving me grace in the only way that truly reflects who You are—in Jesus. I rejoice that You give with both hands in Him. I rest today in the fullness of what You've already poured into my life through Christ. I don’t need to chase favor, earn kindness, or pretend to be what I’m not. Grace has already found me. Grace has already filled me. And grace has already united me to the One in whom You delight. My heart is satisfied in Him.