14 The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

15 John testified concerning Him. He cried out, saying, “This is He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’”

16 From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace.

17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

— John 1:14-18

1 Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.

2 Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.

3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as Christ is pure.

— 1 John 3:1-3

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, mercy and love from Christ to you.

On the last day of the year of 2025, I like to review what the grace we believers have been showered upon. The ultimate expression of God’s love for mankind is grace. Grace is best described as being given what we do not deserve. Not only are God’s people saved by grace, but God’s amazing grace buoys and sustains every aspect of their present and future with Him. Jesus is full of grace. John wrote in John 1:16, “Out of His fullness we have all received grace upon grace.” The Greek phrasing could also be translated as “grace in place of grace.” This implies a constant, overflowing gift.

To know God as He truly is, we must recognize that by nature He is gracious. He longs to redeem people from sin’s slavery and eternal punishment. However, God’s justice will prevail if His grace is rejected. No one who understands God’s grace can boast about their salvation. God’s lavish compassion toward us sinners, evidenced by the gift of His Son, ignites, in the hearts of the redeemed believers, humble worship and gratitude, not pride. The more we see God’s Son and His blood shed on the cross, the more we are in the reality of his grace.