In Truth and Love
24th MARCH 2023
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Grace, mercy, and peace shall be with us from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. 2 John 1:3 AFV
In our verse for today, John prays a blessing over his readers. He invokes three key concepts: grace, mercy, and peace. These concepts are closely related to each other and are all central to our faith.
Grace is the unmerited favour of God towards us. It is through God’s grace that we are saved from sin and reconciled to Him. This grace is available to all who believe in Christ, regardless of their past sins or mistakes [Ephesians 2:8–9]. It is an ongoing reality in the life of the believer. As we continue to walk with Christ, we experience the grace of God in our daily lives. We experience his forgiveness when we fall short, his guidance when we are lost, and his comfort when we are hurting. As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
On the other hand, mercy is the compassion and forgiveness of God towards us. It is through God’s mercy that we are spared from the punishment that we deserve for our sins. As the psalmist writes in Psalm 103:8, “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” But mercy is not just a one-sided transaction. It requires a response from us. As Jesus teaches in the parable of the unmerciful servant [Matthew 18:21–35], we are called to show mercy to others, just as God has shown mercy to us. This means forgiving those who have wronged us, showing compassion to those in need, and standing up for justice and righteousness in the world.
Peace is not just a personal experience. It is a calling that we have as believers to be peacemakers in the world. As Jesus teaches in the Sermon on the Mount [Matthew 5:9], “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” This means working for reconciliation in our relationships, seeking to resolve conflicts peacefully, and promoting harmony and unity in the world. Peace is the inner tranquillity that we experience when we are reconciled to God through Christ. It is the peace that surpasses all understanding and guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus [Philippians 4:7].
Finally, John emphasises that these blessings come “in truth and love.” Truth refers to the fact that these blessings are based on the reality of who God is and what he has done for us in Christ. Love refers to the fact that these blessings are rooted in God’s sacrificial nature towards us, and our love for him and for one another. Let us pray these blessings over our families, communities and nations, in truth and love, so we may see the glory of our risen King, Jesus, shine brighter and brighter.
Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your grace, mercy, and peace. We thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins and to reconcile us to You. Help us to live our lives in the light of these blessings, walking in truth and love. And help us to be ambassadors of Christ in the world, bringing His grace, mercy, and peace to those around us.
Further Reading: 1 Timothy 1:14
Bible In One Year: 1 Samuel [29–31] & 2 Samuel [1]
