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The Grace and Truth Paradox: Responding with Christlike Balance
Christians trying to model their lives after Jesus may find that He gets buried under lists, rules, and formulas. Now bestselling author Randy Alcorn offers a simple two-point checklist for Christlikeness based on John 1:14. The test consists of balancing grace and truth, equally and unapologetically. Grace without truth deceives people, and ceases to be grace. Truth without grace crushes people, and ceases to be truth. Alcorn shows the reader how to show the world Jesus -- offering grace instead of the world's apathy and tolerance, offering truth instead of the world's relativism and deception.
Grace or Truth… or Both?
Truth without grace breeds self-righteousness and crushing legalism.
Grace without truth breeds deception and moral compromise.
Is it possible to embrace both in balance?
Jesus did.
Randy Alcorn offers a simple yet profound two-point checklist of Christlikeness. “In the end,” says Alcorn, “we don’t need grace or truth. We need grace and truth. And for people to see Jesus in us, they must see both.”
Grace or Truth… or Both?
Truth without grace breeds self-righteousness and crushing legalism.
Grace without truth breeds deception and moral compromise.
Is it possible to embrace both in balance?
Jesus did.
Randy Alcorn offers a simple yet profound two-point checklist of Christlikeness. “In the end,” says Alcorn, “we don’t need grace or truth. We need grace and truth. And for people to see Jesus in us, they must see both.”
96 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2003
143 people are currently reading
787 people want to read
About the author
Randy Alcorn
223 books1,582 followersRandy Alcorn is the founder of Eternal Perspective Ministries (EPM), a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching biblical truth and drawing attention to the needy and how to help them. EPM exists to meet the needs of the unreached, unfed, unborn, uneducated, unreconciled and unsupported people around the world.
"My ministry focus is communicating the strategic importance of using our earthly time, money, possessions and opportunities to invest in need-meeting ministries that count for eternity," Alcorn says. "I do that by trying to analyze, teach and apply the implications of Christian truth."
Before starting EPM in 1990, Alcorn co-pastored for thirteen years Good Shepherd Community Church outside Gresham, Oregon. He has ministered in many countries, including China, and is a popular teacher and conference speaker. Randy has taught on the part-time faculties of Western Seminary and Multnomah University, both in Portland, Oregon.
Randy is a best-selling author of 50 books including Heaven, The Treasure Principle and the 2002 Gold Medallion winner, Safely Home. He has written numerous articles for magazines such as Discipleship Journal, Moody, Leadership, New Man, and The Christian Reader. He produces the quarterly issues-oriented magazine Eternal Perspectives, and has been a guest on more than 650 radio and television programs including Focus on the Family, Family Life Today, The Bible Answer Man, Revive Our Hearts, Truths that Transform and Faith Under Fire.
Alcorn resides in Gresham, Oregon with his wife, Nanci. The Alcorns have two married daughters, Karina and Angela.
Randy and Nanci are the proud grandparents of five grandsons. Randy enjoys hanging out with his family, biking, tennis, research and reading.
Taken from the Eternal Perspective Ministries website, http://www.epm.org
"My ministry focus is communicating the strategic importance of using our earthly time, money, possessions and opportunities to invest in need-meeting ministries that count for eternity," Alcorn says. "I do that by trying to analyze, teach and apply the implications of Christian truth."
Before starting EPM in 1990, Alcorn co-pastored for thirteen years Good Shepherd Community Church outside Gresham, Oregon. He has ministered in many countries, including China, and is a popular teacher and conference speaker. Randy has taught on the part-time faculties of Western Seminary and Multnomah University, both in Portland, Oregon.
Randy is a best-selling author of 50 books including Heaven, The Treasure Principle and the 2002 Gold Medallion winner, Safely Home. He has written numerous articles for magazines such as Discipleship Journal, Moody, Leadership, New Man, and The Christian Reader. He produces the quarterly issues-oriented magazine Eternal Perspectives, and has been a guest on more than 650 radio and television programs including Focus on the Family, Family Life Today, The Bible Answer Man, Revive Our Hearts, Truths that Transform and Faith Under Fire.
Alcorn resides in Gresham, Oregon with his wife, Nanci. The Alcorns have two married daughters, Karina and Angela.
Randy and Nanci are the proud grandparents of five grandsons. Randy enjoys hanging out with his family, biking, tennis, research and reading.
Taken from the Eternal Perspective Ministries website, http://www.epm.org
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
June 12, 2024
So much amazing content packed into a tiny book. HIGHLY recommend!
June 10, 2009
Highly recommended for anyone who struggles with being too harsh with the truth or can't ever speak the truth. This book is all about Christ-like balance. I loved it and learned a ton!
December 18, 2024
This was a quick yet impactful read that really made me think. Growing up in the evangelical Christian space, there have been some things I’ve recently had to rethink and try to make sense of, and this book was helpful for me in explaining how grace and truth work TOGETHER.
November 23, 2016
My review will not do this little book justice, but I will try! This is a phenomenal book! Taking on the problems of grace and truth in the Christian worldview. Just like many Christians I struggle with how to be totally about truth but at the same time be totally about grace as well. Seems like most of us major in one or the other but this book discusses how to balance it and it does it very well. I cannot recommend this book high enough. It is not super deep, in that it could have been over 500 pages answering this paradox but instead it takes just under 100 pages. Very important topic and very important book. Go get this book today
December 4, 2024
Powerful little book. Worth reading more than once. We desperately need more grace and truth in this world today. Both are in short supply. Jesus came in truth and grace, 100% of both. We need to live likewise.
January 8, 2022
Conscise and precise with sharp remarks and very direct examples. Great book
November 24, 2024
Fantastic book! This read packs a punch, it’s small yet mighty, I devoured it in one day! This book was convicting, so full of both grace and truth! I learned so much about sharing the truth of who God is and how it is to be shared with grace! I highly recommend to any believer looking to learn more about God, Jesus, and sharing the Good News!
February 25, 2024
A lot of content for such a small book!
October 30, 2024
Really enjoyed how the author used scripture through the book. A deep look into both truth and grace exists together perfectly in Jesus.
July 24, 2022
What a terrific little book! The author points out that most Christians struggle with balancing these two traits of Christ-likeness: grace and truth (John 1:14). We either are bold about standing for and sharing God's truth but lack grace, love and compassion when doing it. Or we are quick to be loving, compassionate and caring, but neglect speaking the truth about doctrine, sin or repentance. I suspect most Christians who read this book will have to admit that they have a tendency to fall into one of these two camps.
"Without truth, we lack courage to speak and conviction to speak about. Without grace, we lack compassion to meet people's deepest needs."
"Truth without grace breeds self-righteous legalism that poisons the church and pushes the world away from Christ.
Grace without truth breeds moral indifference that keeps people from seeing their need for Christ."
"Attempts to 'soften' the gospel by minimizing truth keep people from Jesus. Attempts to 'toughen' the gospel by minimizing grace keep people from Jesus. It's not enough for us to offer grace or truth. We must offer both.
That's what this little book is all about."
If we want to be like Jesus, we need to learn how to live out both grace and truth before others.
"Without truth, we lack courage to speak and conviction to speak about. Without grace, we lack compassion to meet people's deepest needs."
"Truth without grace breeds self-righteous legalism that poisons the church and pushes the world away from Christ.
Grace without truth breeds moral indifference that keeps people from seeing their need for Christ."
"Attempts to 'soften' the gospel by minimizing truth keep people from Jesus. Attempts to 'toughen' the gospel by minimizing grace keep people from Jesus. It's not enough for us to offer grace or truth. We must offer both.
That's what this little book is all about."
If we want to be like Jesus, we need to learn how to live out both grace and truth before others.
September 13, 2018
Randy Alcorn is one of my top five favorite living authors. I’ve read at least fifteen of his books. In fact, his perspectives, illustrations, and stories often find their way into the Bible studies I teach as a Campus Minister.
In honor of Randy Alcorn, I’ve actually hidden The Grace and Truth Paradox in the cover photograph of my own book, Question Everything. See if you can find it.
About The Book
In The Grace and Truth Paradox, Randy takes on the “apparent contradiction” in the co-existence of God’s truth and God’s grace. He starts by appealing to John 1:1,14, where we’re told that Jesus came “full of grace and truth.” From there, he elaborates on what truth is and what grace is, exploring the dangers of emphasizing one at the expense of the other.
The message of the book is extremely challenging and relevant. For better or for worse, our concept of God’s grace and truth will shape our churches, our families, and our witness.
The call to action is brilliant. “We who are truth-oriented need to go out of our way to affirm grace. We who are grace-oriented need to go out of our way to affirm truth. We show people Jesus only when we show them grace and truth. Anything less than both is neither.”
I give the book FIVE STARS!
20 Favorite Quotes:
1. “People had only to look at Jesus to see what God is like. People today should only have to look at us to see what Jesus is like. For better or worse, they’ll draw conclusions about Christ from what they see in us. If we fail the grace test, we fail to be Christlike. If we fail the truth test, we fail to be Christlike. If we pass both tests, we’re like Jesus.”
2. “Truth-oriented Christians love studying Scripture and theology. But sometimes they’re quick to judge and slow to forgive. They’re strong on truth, weak on grace. Grace-oriented Christians love forgiveness and freedom. But sometimes they neglect Bible study and see moral standards as “legalism.” They’re strong on grace, weak on truth.”
3. “Truth without grace breeds a self-righteous legalism that poisons the church and pushes the worlds away from Christ. Grace without truth breeds moral indifference and keeps people from seeing their need for Christ.”
4. “Something’s wrong if all unbelievers hate us. Something’s wrong if all unbelievers like us.”
5. Martin Luther said that the devil doesn’t care which side of the horse we fall off of – as long as we don’t stay in the saddle. We need to ride the horse with one foot in the stirrup of truth, the other in the stirrup of grace.”
6. “Christ took the hell He didn’t deserve so we could have the heaven we don’t deserve.”
7. “Grace never ignores the awful truth of our depravity. In fact, it emphasizes it. The worse we realize we are, the greater we realize God’s grace is. Grace isn’t about God lowering His standards. It’s about God fulfilling those standards through the substitutionary suffering of the standard-setter. Christ went to the cross because He would not ignore the truths of His holiness and our sin. Grace never ignores or violates truth. Grace gave what truth demanded: the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.”
8. “When you realize you deserve nothing better than hell, it puts a “bad day” in perspective, doesn’t it?”
9. “Anytime we talk more about dos and don’ts than about Jesus, something’s wrong.”
10. “If we get it wrong about Jesus, it doesn’t matter what else we get right.”
11. “My sins and yours, including our self-righteousness, nailed Jesus to that cross as surely as the sins of any child killer, terrorist, or genocidal tyrant. Let’s be thankful we’re not getting what we deserve!”
12. “Jesus said, “Rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20). If we truly grasped God’s grace, even a little, we would fall on our knees and weep. Then we would get up and dance, smile, shout, and laugh, looking at each other and saying, “Can you believe it? We’re forgiven! We’re going to live forever in heaven!” How could we do anything less?”
13. “Even though forgiveness has been offered, it’s not yours until you accept it. Courts have determined that a pardon is valid only if the guilty party receives it. Christ offers each of us the gift of forgiveness, but the offer alone doesn’t make it ours. To have it, we must accept it.”
14. “Every other religion is man working his way to God. Christianity is God working His way to men.”
15. “Ephesians 4:15 tells us to speak the truth in love, not to without the truth in love.”
16. “Many nonbelievers know only two kinds of Christians: those who speak the truth without grace and those who are very nice but never share the truth. What they need to see is a third type of Christian – one who, in a spirit of grace, loves them enough to tell them the truth.”
17. “God has seen us at our worst and still loves us. No skeletons will fall out of our closets in eternity.”
18. “Living by grace means affirming daily our unworthiness. We are never thankful for what we think we deserve. We are deeply thankful for what we know we don’t deserve.”
19. “God’s grace to us is lightning. Our grace to others is thunder. Lightning comes first; thunder responds. We show grace to others because He first showed grace to us.”
20. “People need the direction of truth to know where to go. Then they need the empowerment of grace to help them get there.”
In honor of Randy Alcorn, I’ve actually hidden The Grace and Truth Paradox in the cover photograph of my own book, Question Everything. See if you can find it.
About The Book
In The Grace and Truth Paradox, Randy takes on the “apparent contradiction” in the co-existence of God’s truth and God’s grace. He starts by appealing to John 1:1,14, where we’re told that Jesus came “full of grace and truth.” From there, he elaborates on what truth is and what grace is, exploring the dangers of emphasizing one at the expense of the other.
The message of the book is extremely challenging and relevant. For better or for worse, our concept of God’s grace and truth will shape our churches, our families, and our witness.
The call to action is brilliant. “We who are truth-oriented need to go out of our way to affirm grace. We who are grace-oriented need to go out of our way to affirm truth. We show people Jesus only when we show them grace and truth. Anything less than both is neither.”
I give the book FIVE STARS!
20 Favorite Quotes:
1. “People had only to look at Jesus to see what God is like. People today should only have to look at us to see what Jesus is like. For better or worse, they’ll draw conclusions about Christ from what they see in us. If we fail the grace test, we fail to be Christlike. If we fail the truth test, we fail to be Christlike. If we pass both tests, we’re like Jesus.”
2. “Truth-oriented Christians love studying Scripture and theology. But sometimes they’re quick to judge and slow to forgive. They’re strong on truth, weak on grace. Grace-oriented Christians love forgiveness and freedom. But sometimes they neglect Bible study and see moral standards as “legalism.” They’re strong on grace, weak on truth.”
3. “Truth without grace breeds a self-righteous legalism that poisons the church and pushes the worlds away from Christ. Grace without truth breeds moral indifference and keeps people from seeing their need for Christ.”
4. “Something’s wrong if all unbelievers hate us. Something’s wrong if all unbelievers like us.”
5. Martin Luther said that the devil doesn’t care which side of the horse we fall off of – as long as we don’t stay in the saddle. We need to ride the horse with one foot in the stirrup of truth, the other in the stirrup of grace.”
6. “Christ took the hell He didn’t deserve so we could have the heaven we don’t deserve.”
7. “Grace never ignores the awful truth of our depravity. In fact, it emphasizes it. The worse we realize we are, the greater we realize God’s grace is. Grace isn’t about God lowering His standards. It’s about God fulfilling those standards through the substitutionary suffering of the standard-setter. Christ went to the cross because He would not ignore the truths of His holiness and our sin. Grace never ignores or violates truth. Grace gave what truth demanded: the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.”
8. “When you realize you deserve nothing better than hell, it puts a “bad day” in perspective, doesn’t it?”
9. “Anytime we talk more about dos and don’ts than about Jesus, something’s wrong.”
10. “If we get it wrong about Jesus, it doesn’t matter what else we get right.”
11. “My sins and yours, including our self-righteousness, nailed Jesus to that cross as surely as the sins of any child killer, terrorist, or genocidal tyrant. Let’s be thankful we’re not getting what we deserve!”
12. “Jesus said, “Rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20). If we truly grasped God’s grace, even a little, we would fall on our knees and weep. Then we would get up and dance, smile, shout, and laugh, looking at each other and saying, “Can you believe it? We’re forgiven! We’re going to live forever in heaven!” How could we do anything less?”
13. “Even though forgiveness has been offered, it’s not yours until you accept it. Courts have determined that a pardon is valid only if the guilty party receives it. Christ offers each of us the gift of forgiveness, but the offer alone doesn’t make it ours. To have it, we must accept it.”
14. “Every other religion is man working his way to God. Christianity is God working His way to men.”
15. “Ephesians 4:15 tells us to speak the truth in love, not to without the truth in love.”
16. “Many nonbelievers know only two kinds of Christians: those who speak the truth without grace and those who are very nice but never share the truth. What they need to see is a third type of Christian – one who, in a spirit of grace, loves them enough to tell them the truth.”
17. “God has seen us at our worst and still loves us. No skeletons will fall out of our closets in eternity.”
18. “Living by grace means affirming daily our unworthiness. We are never thankful for what we think we deserve. We are deeply thankful for what we know we don’t deserve.”
19. “God’s grace to us is lightning. Our grace to others is thunder. Lightning comes first; thunder responds. We show grace to others because He first showed grace to us.”
20. “People need the direction of truth to know where to go. Then they need the empowerment of grace to help them get there.”
July 2, 2024
Absolutely fantastic little book!!! Randy Alcorn excels at getting his point across while using many interesting and diverse anecdotes.
“People today should only have to look at us to see what Jesus is like. For better or worse, they’ll draw conclusions about Christ from what they see in us” (14).
“Christ took the hell He didn’t deserve so we could have the heaven we don’t deserve” (29).
“Paul said if men were good enough, then ‘Christ died for nothing’ (Galatians 2:21) [31].
“Our culture is riddled with a poisonous spirit of entitlement. We always think we deserve more. We’re disappointed with our family, neighbors, church, the waitress, the sales clerk, and the department of motor vehicles. Ultimately we’re disappointed with God. He hasn’t given us everything we want” (33).
“If we truly grasped God’s grace, even a little, we would fall on our knees and weep. Then we would get up and dance, smile, shout, and laugh, looking at each other and saying, ‘Can you believe it? We’re forgiven! We’re going to live forever in heaven’” (46-47)! 🥰❤️🥰❤️
“When you boil life down to the basics, there are two kinds of people: sinners who admit their sin and sinners who deny it.
Which kind are you” (68)?
“Our job is not simply to help each other feel good, but to help each other be good (77).
“People today should only have to look at us to see what Jesus is like. For better or worse, they’ll draw conclusions about Christ from what they see in us” (14).
“Christ took the hell He didn’t deserve so we could have the heaven we don’t deserve” (29).
“Paul said if men were good enough, then ‘Christ died for nothing’ (Galatians 2:21) [31].
“Our culture is riddled with a poisonous spirit of entitlement. We always think we deserve more. We’re disappointed with our family, neighbors, church, the waitress, the sales clerk, and the department of motor vehicles. Ultimately we’re disappointed with God. He hasn’t given us everything we want” (33).
“If we truly grasped God’s grace, even a little, we would fall on our knees and weep. Then we would get up and dance, smile, shout, and laugh, looking at each other and saying, ‘Can you believe it? We’re forgiven! We’re going to live forever in heaven’” (46-47)! 🥰❤️🥰❤️
“When you boil life down to the basics, there are two kinds of people: sinners who admit their sin and sinners who deny it.
Which kind are you” (68)?
“Our job is not simply to help each other feel good, but to help each other be good (77).
January 22, 2025
I love how Alcorn condenses big concepts into small books. This book can be savored over a few days in short sittings or devoured in an hour, but its message should stick with everyone.
One of the things I love about Alcorn is that he knows our God is too big to try to fit His character into easily understandable boxes. Yet, Alcorn also knows there are absolute truths, unending grace, and abundant life for the Christian.
One of the things I love about Alcorn is that he knows our God is too big to try to fit His character into easily understandable boxes. Yet, Alcorn also knows there are absolute truths, unending grace, and abundant life for the Christian.
April 8, 2024
This was one of those books that has 5 star sections definitely worth reading (drew my heart closer to Jesus and the reality of his fully Grace and Truth nature), but also had sections that I literally just glossed over and I’ll never remember. The 5 star sections make this short read worth it though.
May 29, 2022
Enjoyed listening to this book. The author does a commendable job arguing for a balance between grace and truth. They are not in opposition of one another but rather find a great harmony in the Person of Christ. It serves as a challenge for us to pursue both.
October 5, 2023
This book is excellent! Alcorn relates the Biblical principles of truth and grace in an easy-to-read and understandable way. The author's writing style and many practical applications make this book enjoyable, convincing and convicting all at once.
July 14, 2025
4.5 - I liked this. Christ came to us, full of grace and truth as John declares. He lived out both paradigms, compassionate forgiveness without sacrificing staunch principles. So should His people. Randy writes well, I will have to visit more of his work.
February 27, 2022
Wonderful!
In this book Mr. Alcorn does an amazing job of explaining grace and truth and why we need them both in every interaction in our life.
In this book Mr. Alcorn does an amazing job of explaining grace and truth and why we need them both in every interaction in our life.
July 3, 2009
One of my all-time favorite books. God didn't make it hard for us--religion makes it hard for us. So often Pastors of various denominations argue opposing bits of minutia to the point that the Scripture is distorted and disfigured and I am left confused and wondering if they read the same Bible I did. Now I just weigh to what degree each opinion is out of Grace/Truth balance. This short clearly-written book puts the badly-abused Word of the Lord back into His sensible perspective. Yeah, Grace/Truth--I can remember that. Now I can understand why non-believers would tear off a roof to get to Jesus but jump through windows to escape from most of us.
June 9, 2009
This was a short book little book. I think it serves as a helpful reminder for how to approach people. I don't have much to say about it, as it was very short, and probably could have been even shorter and still communicated the main gist well.
August 21, 2024
Had some good reminders, wouldn't say it's the deepest book out there but it isn't heretical or anything
January 14, 2025
My observations on this short book fall into three categories.
The primary message of the book is spot-on. The book takes its message and its title from John 1:14, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
The gospel of Jesus to everyone of us full of both - the truth that we are sinners who deserve eternal hell unless we repent (agree with God and turn from our sin) and believe that Jesus paid the just penalty for us by dying on the cross; and the grace that we cannot do anything to earn that salvation but can only receive it as a gift from God and respond in thanksgiving and obedience to our Lord.
As Alcorn points out near the end, “Instead of the world’s apathy and tolerance, we offer grace. Instead of the world’s relativism and deception, we offer truth…To show the world Jesus, we must offer unabridged grace and truth, emphasizing both, apologizing for neither.”
The style of the book, which is common to the author’s writing, is less appealing to me. It’s quite anecdotal (for illustrative purposes) and somewhat colloquial. In blog posts or article, I find this approach more accessible, but in book form, I find it less helpful in following his train of thought and main points. It feels more like “spaghetti on the wall” than a coherent, well-organized presentation. (Admittedly, this is a matter of personal preference!)
Most troubling however, are some of its assertions about the symptoms of lack of grace or lack of truth are less than helpful or outright flawed. Although it would have been hard for the author two decades ago to anticipate the depth and speed of our decline into postmodern, progressive culture, they detract from his message and could be exploited by skeptics to undermine him or the Christian gospel.
Further, this emphasis reveals a flaw in the underlying premise of the book that mirrors today’s common narrative, namely, that people reject Jesus because some of His followers aren’t kind and that it’s by and large those who are faithful to truth that are the problem. Therefore, as the narrative goes, we need to emphasize grace more and minimize truth other than the most bare framework of Christianity.
The more I reflect on this, the more I am troubled by it. Yes, Jesus was full of grace and truth, but truth must come first. Without truth about sin, there is no need for grace. Without the truth of hell, there is no need for salvation. Jesus Himself said, “I am the way, the truth and the life,” not, “I am the way, the grace, and the life.”
Even when God’s truth is presented in an “unacceptable” manner, it is not the presentation that determines whether it’s effective or ineffective in reaching the sinner. It is the Spirit of God working through the Word of God that brings spiritually dead people to life. So while we who love Jesus would do well to be the best possible ambassadors for Him, it is neither our creativity nor lack thereof, neither our winsomeness nor lack thereof, neither our kindness nor lack thereof, and so on, that is essential. What is essential is the truth.
Overall, the book can provide a benefit as we take its primary message to heart, namely that we need grace (since we deserve nothing but condemnation from God) and truth (without which we cannot know God). However, there may be other resources that provide these truths without the shortcoming of creeping cultural baggage.
The primary message of the book is spot-on. The book takes its message and its title from John 1:14, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
The gospel of Jesus to everyone of us full of both - the truth that we are sinners who deserve eternal hell unless we repent (agree with God and turn from our sin) and believe that Jesus paid the just penalty for us by dying on the cross; and the grace that we cannot do anything to earn that salvation but can only receive it as a gift from God and respond in thanksgiving and obedience to our Lord.
As Alcorn points out near the end, “Instead of the world’s apathy and tolerance, we offer grace. Instead of the world’s relativism and deception, we offer truth…To show the world Jesus, we must offer unabridged grace and truth, emphasizing both, apologizing for neither.”
The style of the book, which is common to the author’s writing, is less appealing to me. It’s quite anecdotal (for illustrative purposes) and somewhat colloquial. In blog posts or article, I find this approach more accessible, but in book form, I find it less helpful in following his train of thought and main points. It feels more like “spaghetti on the wall” than a coherent, well-organized presentation. (Admittedly, this is a matter of personal preference!)
Most troubling however, are some of its assertions about the symptoms of lack of grace or lack of truth are less than helpful or outright flawed. Although it would have been hard for the author two decades ago to anticipate the depth and speed of our decline into postmodern, progressive culture, they detract from his message and could be exploited by skeptics to undermine him or the Christian gospel.
Further, this emphasis reveals a flaw in the underlying premise of the book that mirrors today’s common narrative, namely, that people reject Jesus because some of His followers aren’t kind and that it’s by and large those who are faithful to truth that are the problem. Therefore, as the narrative goes, we need to emphasize grace more and minimize truth other than the most bare framework of Christianity.
The more I reflect on this, the more I am troubled by it. Yes, Jesus was full of grace and truth, but truth must come first. Without truth about sin, there is no need for grace. Without the truth of hell, there is no need for salvation. Jesus Himself said, “I am the way, the truth and the life,” not, “I am the way, the grace, and the life.”
Even when God’s truth is presented in an “unacceptable” manner, it is not the presentation that determines whether it’s effective or ineffective in reaching the sinner. It is the Spirit of God working through the Word of God that brings spiritually dead people to life. So while we who love Jesus would do well to be the best possible ambassadors for Him, it is neither our creativity nor lack thereof, neither our winsomeness nor lack thereof, neither our kindness nor lack thereof, and so on, that is essential. What is essential is the truth.
Overall, the book can provide a benefit as we take its primary message to heart, namely that we need grace (since we deserve nothing but condemnation from God) and truth (without which we cannot know God). However, there may be other resources that provide these truths without the shortcoming of creeping cultural baggage.
November 10, 2017
Alcorn looks at balancing truth (which can be harsh) with grace (which can be too gentle). Generally, most Christians fall more to one side or the other of this balance. Some think that telling other folks they are wrong is the most important thing and believe they are doing so in love. Others instead favor showing grace and forgiveness over worrying about what the sin may be. Alcorn attempts to show the correct balance between these two extremes. My main complaint with the book is that it does not consider the proper way to speak or show truth to others. As a silly example, telling someone they should not steal office supplies is unlikely to do much good. Mentioning that I had had an issue with something similar and how I came to understand my error and found some techniques to help overcome the temptation is more likely to be of help. Both approaches may be speaking truth, but one is more likely to do any good. Alcorn’s book is a short one that can easily be read in an hour or two. I would recommend this to Christians trying to understand the proper balance between showing grace and speaking truth to those around them.
June 17, 2018
This little book is a good reminder of something that is easy to remember in theory, easy to forget in practice.
I appreciate the notion of grace and truth as a “two-point checklist of Christlikeness,” but the first two chapters felt like a rapid-fire series of cliché one-liners and tired metaphors, some original and some borrowed. I guess they’re supposed to help make the point stick.
The rest of the book is excellent. Randy is at his best when he shares personal anecdotes, draws extended analogies, and asks piercing questions, which he does when he enters his more thorough chapters defining and examining grace and truth. He has a way of explaining complex concepts that make them simple and easy to remember (things like total depravity and moral relativism).
Ultimately this book was very illustrative, but I was hoping for something more applicational. If I know I tend to err on the side of truth, how specifically might I learn to go out of my way to affirm grace? To “respond with Christlike balance” as the subtitle suggests? Well, I suppose I can just continue to look to the perfect model himself!
This is the perfect book for the nightstand in a guest room.
I appreciate the notion of grace and truth as a “two-point checklist of Christlikeness,” but the first two chapters felt like a rapid-fire series of cliché one-liners and tired metaphors, some original and some borrowed. I guess they’re supposed to help make the point stick.
The rest of the book is excellent. Randy is at his best when he shares personal anecdotes, draws extended analogies, and asks piercing questions, which he does when he enters his more thorough chapters defining and examining grace and truth. He has a way of explaining complex concepts that make them simple and easy to remember (things like total depravity and moral relativism).
Ultimately this book was very illustrative, but I was hoping for something more applicational. If I know I tend to err on the side of truth, how specifically might I learn to go out of my way to affirm grace? To “respond with Christlike balance” as the subtitle suggests? Well, I suppose I can just continue to look to the perfect model himself!
This is the perfect book for the nightstand in a guest room.
June 9, 2018
Jesus was filled with grace and truth, and Christ-followers also are called to be filled with grace and truth, but the reality is that most people tend to err on one side or the other: too heavy on grace with little balance of truth, or too heavy on truth with little balance on grace. What we need is 100% of both.
With personal illustrations and practical advice, Mr. Alcorn highlights the need for grace-and-truth and shows how to strike the balance. While not all-comprehensive, The Grace and Truth Paradox is a spur to the Christian to start living as Jesus lived and to start loving others with grace and truth. Inspiring, informative, and engaging: this is a great little book!
With personal illustrations and practical advice, Mr. Alcorn highlights the need for grace-and-truth and shows how to strike the balance. While not all-comprehensive, The Grace and Truth Paradox is a spur to the Christian to start living as Jesus lived and to start loving others with grace and truth. Inspiring, informative, and engaging: this is a great little book!
March 13, 2020
This book was so good it surprised me. I really didn't know what to expect. There were times when I let out a whispered, but literal "whoa!"
Alcorn wrestles with the seeming contradiction or mutual exclusivity of God's grace and God's truth, noting that Jesus came with both, "full of grace and truth." What Alcorn does is examine and define both grace and truth, and then works the reader through an exercise of embracing and employing both without emphasizing one to the detriment of the other.
Alcorn labors to persuade us to live with both grace and truth to the extent that he concludes, "anything less than both is neither."
Really an excellent read. Strongly endorsed.
Alcorn wrestles with the seeming contradiction or mutual exclusivity of God's grace and God's truth, noting that Jesus came with both, "full of grace and truth." What Alcorn does is examine and define both grace and truth, and then works the reader through an exercise of embracing and employing both without emphasizing one to the detriment of the other.
Alcorn labors to persuade us to live with both grace and truth to the extent that he concludes, "anything less than both is neither."
Really an excellent read. Strongly endorsed.
July 25, 2019
3.0
It's not a bad book, and it's a good reminder that grace and truth go hand in hand, and without either, you can develop extremist views that don't back up the gospel. It's a good read for a recent convert, and it has convicting material.
I think I was left wanting more. More scripture. More definitive explanations of what is grace and truth. How to apply utilizing grace and truth in our daily lives.
Instead, I got more story-based narratives (which aren't necessarily bad) and vague statements of college campuses, politics, etc.
It's a short read. It could have been shorter and explained everything the same. I also don't think truth and grace are a paradox??
It's not a bad book, and it's a good reminder that grace and truth go hand in hand, and without either, you can develop extremist views that don't back up the gospel. It's a good read for a recent convert, and it has convicting material.
I think I was left wanting more. More scripture. More definitive explanations of what is grace and truth. How to apply utilizing grace and truth in our daily lives.
Instead, I got more story-based narratives (which aren't necessarily bad) and vague statements of college campuses, politics, etc.
It's a short read. It could have been shorter and explained everything the same. I also don't think truth and grace are a paradox??
November 4, 2019
" Grace and truth are spiritual DNA, the building blocks of Christ-centered living."
I LOVED THIS BOOK.
Downloaded the audible version and finished it 3 hours later.
We are told in John 1 that Christ, the only begotten of the Father, is full of grace AND truth. This book helps explain in easy-to-understand terms how this is not a balance, but how both are fully operative at the same time in Christ Jesus. An interesting concept, one that I can't wait to explore further and work to improve in my own life. Great listen, great read--planning on buying a hard copy of this one.
I LOVED THIS BOOK.
Downloaded the audible version and finished it 3 hours later.
We are told in John 1 that Christ, the only begotten of the Father, is full of grace AND truth. This book helps explain in easy-to-understand terms how this is not a balance, but how both are fully operative at the same time in Christ Jesus. An interesting concept, one that I can't wait to explore further and work to improve in my own life. Great listen, great read--planning on buying a hard copy of this one.
August 15, 2025
The first couple of chapters were great but then it felt like a totally different author took over for the remainder of the book. I was hoping this book would offer some nuance but the author communicated things more in black and white terms. The crux of the book seemed to be that humans are terrible and if it weren’t for Jesus we’d be in hell but we get heaven and this is grace. It didn’t offer much practicality for how to live now. This book lacked compassion in the conversation and was too heavy handed in reformed theology.
August 16, 2017
So good!
A short, simple book on a concept that it's hard to wrap our minds around--God's grace and truth always exist together, although our human understanding sees them as mutually exclusive. But Jesus perfectly demonstrated both, so for the world to see Him in the church, we must demonstrate both too. Alcorn does a great job in unpacking this apparent paradox and pointing us to Christ to show what true grace and truth look like when operating in harmony.
A short, simple book on a concept that it's hard to wrap our minds around--God's grace and truth always exist together, although our human understanding sees them as mutually exclusive. But Jesus perfectly demonstrated both, so for the world to see Him in the church, we must demonstrate both too. Alcorn does a great job in unpacking this apparent paradox and pointing us to Christ to show what true grace and truth look like when operating in harmony.
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