Believe and Live

The Truth Will Set You Free

John 8:31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. 38 I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”

Jesus had it all right. The crowd had it all wrong. Jesus is the way to life. Man’s way is the way to death.

We hear a lot of talk about being on the wrong side of history. May we not be on the wrong side of redemption.

Followers of Jesus abide In his word.

Jesus cautions the group of believers to not just be so in this moment but to keep abiding.

The word is the lifeline in our daily life. We must be adamant about hearing and reading his word. Faith comes by this and our faithfulness will grow when we prioritize deep, meaningful study of his word.

Are we going to interpret the Bible with culture or are we going to interpret the culture with the Bible?

If Jesus Christ isn’t the central figure in our lives and in our churches, we’re only fooling ourselves. AW Tozer

Followers of Jesus know the truth.

What is truth? This is not a merely philosophical truth. this is the truth of truth. To know Jesus is to know truth. Jesus is taking the crowd from simply believing him to knowing him.

Truth is timeless. Truth does not differ from one age to another, from one people to another from geographical location to another…the great all-prevailing Truth stands for time and eternity. Bill Graham

Followers of Jesus experience freedom.

Again, Jesus is not talking about cultural or religious freedom. He is talking about his freedom From the human condition through redemption in him.

Freedom allows us to walk in peace and this peace cultivates power. We can have the Holy Spirit given power to point people to Christ. The world needs us to bring peace to the conversation. Freedom is just a peaceful moment away.

Followers of Jesus walk as followers because of his redemption.

It is not culture, pedigree, or good intentions that gets us where we need to be. It's is the work of a gracious God.

Therefore, if this unique Son declares one free, he is truly free. This statement presupposes the Jews’ sinfulness, the absolute authority of the Son, and the glorious nature of the freedom which He is empowered to confer.

The person whom Christ makes free is truly free, for He is free from the greatest of all slave-masters, sin.

Slaves are not really a part of the family. Family is family and lasts forever.

Jesus invites the hearer to be in the family. The word of truth that brings freedom lies in being in the family.

Do you know Jesus? Have you committed to The work of his church? Have you followed him in believers’ Baptism?