"The Word of His Grace" vs. "The Word of the Law"

 

"The Word of His Grace" vs. "The Word of the Law"

Acts 20:32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and reality came through Jesus Christ.

Rom 3:20 For no one who is in the flesh can be justified in his sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the law but under grace.

Gal 3:24 So the law has become our child tutor to bring us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.

 

Item	The Word of His Grace	The Word of the Law
Meaning	• God's rich grace and love manifested through Christ • Core of salvation, forgiveness, and life • What God has done for man • Mark of the New Testament age	• God's commandments and statutes requiring human obedience • Core of duty, responsibility, and judgment • What man should do for God • Mark of the Old Testament age
Function	• Builds up the saints for spiritual growth • Enables inheritance among all the sanctified • Imparts and nourishes divine life • Sanctifies through grace	• Reveals sin, serves as a tutor • Makes people know sin, prepares for salvation • Exposes the nature of death • Shows man's lack of sanctification through law
Key Differences	• New dispensational arrangement of God • Preaches Christ as grace • Received by faith in grace • Results in life and inheritance • Universal salvation	• Old dispensational arrangement of God • Preaches God's commandments and requirements • Observed through works under law • Results in knowledge of sin and condemnation • Specific statutes for particular people
Biblical Examples	• Gen 3:15 - Woman's seed shall bruise serpent's head (first redemptive promise) • Isa 7:14 - Virgin shall conceive, call His name Immanuel • Luke 4 - Lord Jesus proclaimed jubilee, chose words of grace	• Exo 20 - Ten Commandments • Leviticus - Various statutes and ordinances • Deuteronomy - Reiteration and warnings of the law
Practical Application	• Seek grace and life supply in Bible reading • Testify Christ's grace in preaching • Build up saints with grace in shepherding • Grow in grace in daily living	• Recognize God's holiness and requirements in Bible reading • Show man's need in preaching • Illuminate hearts with law in shepherding • Know sin through law in daily living
Mutual Relationship	• Dispensational transition: Replaced the word of law • Complementary function: Meets the need revealed by law • Common goal: Both point to Christ • Dispensational significance: Shows change in God's arrangement	• Chronological order: Precedes the word of grace • Complementary function: Reveals the need for grace • Common goal: Part of God's economy • Preparatory function: Leads people to Christ
Key Scriptures	• Acts 14:3 - "Testifying to the word of His grace" • Acts 20:32 - "God and the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you the inheritance" • John 1:14 - "Full of grace and truth" • John 1:17 - "Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" • Rom 6:14 - "Not under law but under grace"	• Rom 3:20 - "The law gives the knowledge of sin" • Gal 3:24 - "The law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ" • Rom 7:12 - "The law is holy, and the commandment holy and righteous and good" • Rom 10:4 - "Christ is the end of the law"
Dispensational Characteristics	• Mark of New Testament age of grace • New arrangement in God's economy • Principle of inward life • Christ-centered revelation	• Mark of Old Testament age of law • Early arrangement in God's economy • Principle of outward commandments • Moses-centered revelation
Ultimate Goal	• Build up saints as the Body of Christ • Enable inheritance of the Triune God • Fulfill God's eternal economy • Bring in God's kingdom	• Reveal man's need and God's holiness • Prepare hearts to receive salvation • Become the way leading to Christ • Maintain God's righteousness

 

Core Summary:

The word of His grace represents God's central revelation in the New Testament age. It replaced the word of the law, becoming the divine power to build up the saints and give them the inheritance. This transition indicates a dispensational change, a fundamental change in God's arrangement in His economy.

 

The essence of their mutual relationship:

• Law reveals need → Grace meets need
• Law brings condemnation → Grace brings justification
• Law exposes death → Grace imparts life
• Law is external → Grace is internal
• Law is temporary → Grace is eternal

Practical significance:

Today we need to focus on the word of His grace, allowing it to work in us for building up, so that we may obtain the full inheritance in Christ and become witnesses of God's economy.

 

*Please refer to April 2025 International Elders and Responsible Brothers Training General Topic: Oneness and the Vital Aspects of Acts Chapter 6 Grace in Acts