John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory,
the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
The leadership team of the local church lined up on the issue as they usually did. All the guys with a bent toward truth were calling for lightning. All of the guys with a bent toward grace were calling for warm words and hugs. Racking through the mind of the pastor was the edited words of the cartoon character Elmer Fudd, “Which way would they go, which way would they go?”
Our blessed Lord was not a compromise of grace and truth. He was and is all grace and all truth at all times! In theology, we sometimes refer to the “simplicity” of God. This means that God is what He is. No one attribute exists or is ever exercised to the diminishment of another. This characteristic of God ought to be reflected in the decisions made within the local church. When we prayerfully consider matters of direction or discipline in the local church, we are wise to avoid the extremes and compromises of two-option thinking. Neither grace nor truth should be compromised. Both should be seen at all times within the body of which the Lord Jesus is the Head!
When the Lord confronts people and problems in the NT record, He often responds in a way that is not usual or normal among men. This is, in fact, the demonstration of the fullness of truth and grace on earth. For the sake of the practical we might call this kind of thinking and approach, “third-option.”
Third option thinking means that we think outside the box, to be sure, but within the boundaries of God’s character. We seek by the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures to address matters in the fullness of grace and truth. We do not pursue “A.” We do not pursue “B.” We do not pursue “A<B” or “A>B”. We pursue “AB” which is equal to “C.” The will of God on the matter will always be “C.”
This is the reason our Lord’s reactions are so often shocking to us. He is often tough on people with whom we would be soft. He is often soft on people with whom we would be tough and yet there seems to be many exceptions. What pulls it all together? The fullness of grace and truth is the answer!
Rev. Timothy W. Teall
