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In a discussion group of believers, an intense conversation is taking place about a difficult question. People are wrestling for the right answer. Some of those present emphatically stress “truth.” One must remain clear, consistent, and unambiguous. Possible consequences must be left to the Lord. Others urge more “grace” and “mercy.” They see peace in danger. One must not judge too quickly, must show understanding, and meet people where they are.
Both sides have Bible passages that support their position. Both sides have good motives and present them. And yet a tension arises, and a solution seems difficult.
For God – no Tension
What often appears to us as a contradiction is no problem for God. Every believer rejoices in the fact that “grace and truth” are united in Christ Jesus (John 1:14, 17). We rejoice that “righteousness and peace” have kissed at the cross (Ps 85:11). God is light, and God is love. That is no contradiction. Both are completely true. For God, the question never arises whether He must choose “light” or “love.” That may be a human thought, but it is completely wrong. The cross of the Lord Jesus shows that God is perfectly light and at the same time perfectly love.
At the cross, we see that God’s truth and grace are in no way relativized. The cross corresponds fully and completely to God’s righteousness and holiness. All His righteous and holy claims have been fully met. But at the same time, we see how a righteous and holy God meets people in grace and love. Grace does not become cheap, and peace is not bought through a compromise. For God, tension between grace and truth does not exist. That is why John 1:17 does not say that grace and truth are come (which would be grammatically correct), but that grace and truth is come. They form an inseparable unity.
For us – Tension
For us, in practice, the tension described above often arises between “grace and truth” and “righteousness and peace.” Some emphasize truth, others emphasize grace. Opinions diverge, and a solution seems difficult.
Unlike our Lord and God, we are not perfect. As people, we differ in character and have had different experiences. As a result, we are also shaped and matured differently in spiritual terms. So it is only too understandable that some tend more toward clarity and others toward gentleness. In and of itself, that is not a problem, but even useful. Problems begin when, first, we become one-sided and, second, we lack the humility to accept one another in our differences.
Two opposite Dangers
We must be aware that there are two dangers. One is “truth without grace” and the other “grace without truth.” Neither corresponds to God’s thoughts
- Truth without grace: This tendency shows itself in faithfulness to principles without warmth, in separation without humility, as well as in clarity without mercy. The result of such an attitude is often harshness and distance. An atmosphere of fear and anxiety can easily arise.
- Grace without truth: This tendency is no less dangerous. Grace without truth shows itself in that we strive for harmony at any price and, if necessary, want to establish peace without righteousness. The result of such an attitude is often a lack of clarity, dilution, and uncertainty.
Both attitudes sound spiritual and can seemingly be justified biblically. But both attitudes—if they alone become decisive for decisions—can trigger major problems and ultimately have a destructive effect. They overlook that there is not only one side that must be considered.
Those who argue for “truth” should bear in mind that truth alone is not enough. It must be communicated and applied in a spirit of grace. Those who argue for “grace” should bear in mind that grace alone is not enough. It must be supported by the truth.
This is not about Compromises
The question is how we can overcome such a tension among believers. In the world, one would try to seek and find a compromise. Ideally, 50 percent grace plus 50 percent truth add up to 100 percent, and then one has a solution that everyone can agree to.
Such a compromise does not hold up spiritually. God is not 50 percent love and 50 percent light. He is 100 percent both. This is not about a mixture of grace and truth or a mixture of righteousness and peace. It is also too simplistic to claim that peace is always a result of righteousness. Some verses show this sequence (e.g., Ps 85:11; Isa 32:17; James 3:18). Other passages show the reverse sequence (e.g., Isa 48:18; 60:17).
Two verses to reflect on
- Hebrews 12:14 calls on us to pursue peace and holiness. Here too, two things go hand in hand and are not opposed to each other: peace with everyone and holiness before God (not peace or holiness, but peace and holiness). The word “pursue” shows that preserving both at the same time takes effort. Whoever seeks only peace and harmony quickly loses holiness from view. Whoever emphasizes only holiness risks peace. God’s Word connects both inseparably.
- James 3:18 shows us that peace is not softness: “But the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.” Here, the remarkable sequence is that righteousness (practical agreement with God) does not produce peace, but that peace is the soil on which the fruit of righteousness grows. The pursuit of peace does not give up the truth, but peace is the right climate in which truth bears fruit.
Grace and Truth
Brothers and sisters in faith who insist on the truth do so out of concern about a departure from the truth. It is good that they do so. Brothers and sisters who insist on grace do so out of concern about losing brothers and sisters in faith. It is good that they do so. Both sides often react to real experiences. Both mean well. Both are right, and both defend a divine principle. The danger often lies in the fact that we no longer have Christ and His honor in view, but exclusively our own position, which we defend.
When that happens, “truth” (or a specific Bible passage) suddenly becomes a “banner” or a “shibboleth” (Judg 12:6), and grace becomes a “knockout argument.” And suddenly it is no longer light and love that are central—but temperaments, positions, and opinions.
Principles are important, but we will apply them correctly only when we bring them into connection with Christ. One cannot achieve spiritual balance by mathematically balancing grace and truth. That road leads to a dead end. The right way is closeness to the Lord and His mindset. The more Christ shapes our hearts, and we learn from Him, the less we have to balance something that we cannot balance.
Together, we must learn that truth provides clarity and righteousness provides order. In the same way, together we must learn that grace preserves and restores, and that peace is a fertile ground for growth and edification. Where truth alone is insisted on, grace often falls short. Where, on the other hand, everything is covered up with the argument of peace and harmony, truth often falls by the wayside. Looking to our Lord keeps us from emphasizing one side too strongly. “Brother or sister Truth” would do well to listen to those to whom grace is very close to the heart. Conversely, “brother and sister Grace” would do well to listen to those to whom truth is very close to the heart. God has put us together differently so that we can help one another not to fall into one extreme or the other.
Humility is the Key
It is right and good for us to talk and exchange views on doctrinal questions. In doing so, experience teaches that tensions in such conversations often do not arise from the doctrinal question itself, but frequently from wounded pride. Everyone should ask themselves whether they really want to defend God’s honor or rather their own position. Do I speak to truly find a common solution that is biblically sound, or do I speak to win in the end? Does my viewpoint serve peace or my own conviction? We want to bear in mind that humility connects what our temperament separates.
The instructions Paul gives to the believers in Philippi are a good example for us. The Philippians were in a good spiritual condition, but Paul saw the first signs that they were not completely of one mind. What does he do? He shows them the Lord’s self-humiliation and calls on them to display this attitude of humility among themselves (Phil 2:1–5). That seems to be the main key to overcoming conflicts—even in conversations.
There will always be different dispositions among believers. That is not a problem as long as Christ remains the center for everyone and we meet one another in his attitude. The “truth-faithful” person needs the warmth of the “gracious” person. The “gracious” person needs the clarity of the “truth-faithful” person. The brother who thinks more rationally needs the one who shows stronger emotions, and vice versa. Both must learn not to see one another as “opponents” (competitors), but to understand one another as a complement. No one should look down on the other from above, but regard the other as more important than himself.
Practical Pointers
- Controversial conversations should be prepared in prayer, personally and together. Before talking with one another, we should kneel together and honestly ask the Lord for his attitude and his help.
- In conversation, conflicts should not be allowed to escalate publicly; if in doubt, break off the conversation and start again at a later time.
- Before judging—or even condemning—the other person, we should critically examine our own motives. On the other hand, it is not for us to assume or judge the other person’s motives (often we ourselves have only a limited grasp of our own motives). Only God knows the hearts. In any case, it is better to ask than to insinuate something.
- The truth should be presented with reasons and explained—it is not about personal opinions, but about the Word of God. We should be willing to test preconceived or adopted views by the Word of God.
And above all, it is important to remember that it is not we who judge God’s Word, but that God’s Word judges us (Heb 4:12). There are topics where we may have ready-made answers and views that are, so to speak, “settled” for us. We then look for corresponding Bible passages that seemingly support our preconceived opinion, or perhaps even twist them accordingly so that they “fit.” That can be dangerous. The right approach is to take the Word of God as the starting point and then ask without prejudice whether our opinion agrees with it or not.
If we act this way, we avoid rotten compromises as well as a one-sided hard or soft line. With the Lord’s help, we arrive at solutions in which we do not fear the truth, do not dilute grace, do not violate righteousness, and at the same time pursue peace. Believers who treat one another this way will not live completely free of tension, but they will deal with one another spiritually and in a good atmosphere—to the Lord’s glory.
“Behold, I am going to bring to it healing and a remedy, and I will heal them; and I will reveal to them an abundance of peace and truth.” Jeremiah 33:6
“These are the things which you should do: Speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment for peace in your gates.” Zechariah 8:16
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard, as on Aaron’s beard, the oil which ran down upon the edge of his robes; like the dew of Hermon, that falls on the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.” Psalm 133