Scripture Text: John 8:32
and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:32
All who received the Lord Jesus as the Word of God made flesh were given the right to become children of God, even to those who believe on His name, and certain Jews believed in Him so Jesus explained to these believers that if they abide in His word, they are truly His disciples. He continued to explain that those who chose to abide in His word would know the truth and the truth would set them free.
There are many who truly believe in Christ as Savior, many who have trusted Him as their Redeemer, many who have placed faith in the only begotten Son of God for their salvation. There are many who have been born from above, but not all choose to abide in the truth of His word and as a result, can become prey to a different gospel, or hearken to teachings that twist or distort the truth of God’s word.
A Christian is not necessarily a disciple of Jesus, but disciples of Christ are certainly Christians—believers who have leaned and are continuing to learn more and more of Christ Jesus. When we obey the Word of God and learn of Christ, we grow in spiritual knowledge, our spiritual understanding matures. The more we grow in our Christian life, the more we develop in our freedom from sinful nature that keeps us in bondage—and that freedom in Christ sets us free to live our life in spirit and in truth.
The word “truth” comes from the Greek word aletheia, meaning, what is objective in any matter under consideration or appertaining to God and the duties of man, moral, and religious fact. It can also be translated as subjective truth as personal excellence; that openness of mind free from affection, pretense, simulation, falsehood, deceit. To know the authenticity of Jesus Christ is to not only factually believe but to proclaim faithfully. True disciples of Jesus believe Him when He speaks about who He is as God the Father and Holy Spirit, and the Scriptures. This truth is therefore freely available to all who believe, yet many will still deny Him. Romans 10:5-15 highlights this when Paul says, "For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 5:13, NLT). Although the truth can set you free, you have the responsibility to believe in your heart the beautiful perfection of the gospel. So if the truth can set us free, what does that look like? The truth that Jesus gives us about our lives provides us with the relief from perfection that far too many of us strive to achieve. When Jesus offers us His freedom, it is not ours. Our freedom is limited and faulty, but He is freedom Himself, a holy, blameless, and eternal fact. Jesus gives us release from the bondage of our past, present, and future failures. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us this in that once we've accepted a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, we are a new creation created in Christ Jesus for His eternal purpose and pleasure. Jesus sets us free from the past, sins, and religion, but we are still free to struggle while here on earth. Life is not a destination but a journey to that place of life-long, permanent freedom.
Reflect
1. Do you really want to know the truth that will set you free?
2. Do you love to hear Jesus' word and believe it?
3. What good it will be when you have been set free by the truth (Jesus)?
Remember
Let us abide in the Word of God so that we may learn of Christ and grow in grace, for if we truly abide in Christ and He in us, we will certainly be His disciples and we will know the truth and the truth will set us free.
Read
Psalm 25:5; Proverbs 12:22; John 14:6; John 16:13; 1 John 3:18
Pray
Loving Lord, I want to know You more and abide in Your word and become a true learner of You… Help me Lord to learn of You and grow in grace, for I want to know the truth and to be set free from the bondage of sin—a freedom that only comes as I abide in You. I ask this in Jesus' Name... Amen.
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