day no. 16,808: word, grace and glory; truth, goodness, and beauty

"We affirm that objective standards exist, grounded in the nature of the infinite God, and that these standards are doctrinal, ethical, and aesthetic. We (are) firmly convinced of the objective reality of the true, the good, and the beautiful." — New Saints Andrews College, Thirty Theses on Culture Building

Truth, goodness, and beauty are objective realities measured against the respective standards of doctrine, ethics, and aesthetics: doctrine, the standard of truth; ethics, the standard of goodness; and aesthetics, the standard of beauty.

The Word of God is the standard of doctrine and truth.

The Grace of God is the standard of ethics and goodness.

The Glory of God is the standard of aesthetics and beauty.

Mark 10:9

What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Just as we can say, "husband." or, "wife," as a distinction, but not without reference to the marriage that makes them one; we can say, "truth," and, "grace," but not without reference to the one God who singularly embodies and defines them.

John 1:14, 16-18

The Word was made 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. Of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

The Word, Grace, and Glory of God are just as inseparable as truth, goodness, and beauty. The Word of God is grace to us and His glory is revealed in His Word. The truth is beautiful and goodness is true. We can speak of these as separate components for the sake of discussion, but we cannot separate what God has joined together.