Getting Free & Staying Free, Pt. 2

Jesus alone has the power to set us free from any sin or bondage. It is God's
desire for everyone to know Him and experience His joy and purpose.

Getting Free & Staying Free, Pt. 2

"And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

(John 8:32)

Jesus is amazing. He alone has the power to set us free from any sin or bondage. It is God's desire for everyone to know Him and experience His joy and purpose. I love 1 Chronicles 16:27: "Honor and majesty are before Him; strength and gladness are in His place." I believe God freely grants His strength and gladness to all who call upon Him and walk with Him.

The context for our text today is John 8:31-36: "Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, 'If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.' They answered Him, 'We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, 'You will be made free'?' Jesus answered them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."

Verse 31 mentions the Jews who believed in Jesus. They are the same people who rebuked Him in verse 33. Who are these people? D.A. Carson writes, "It seems wiser to observe that John has already introduced the theme of fickle faith. In 2:23, the many people who believed in his name when they saw the miraculous signs Jesus was doing turn out to have untrustworthy faith (2:24–25)." (Carson, D. A. (1991). The Gospel according to John (p. 347). Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press.) Carson goes on to write, "But Jesus now lays down exactly what it is that separates spurious faith from true faith, fickle disciples from genuine disciples: If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples." (Ibid., p. 348)

True followers of Jesus do just that: they follow Him. Their faith is not fickle or spurious but genuine. Their authenticity is shown by the life they live. Then comes the grand promise in verse 32: those true disciples know the truth, and they are set free by the truth.

Ponder on this for a moment: free from what? Free from anything that would hold you in captivity or bondage. Jesus is, I believe, talking about sin and the grip it has on the heart and mind.

Freedom, joy, gladness, and spiritual health are all available through Christ. The key is to humble ourselves before the Lord and admit that we need Him. If we choose to be proud and ignore God, then we will be enslaved in sin and have no way to break out of anxiety and depression. Most people who end their lives in suicide believe there is no way out and not even God can help them. But that is the lie the enemy of our souls wants us to believe. There is always a way out. Jesus is the way!

Tomorrow we will continue to look at the dialogue Jesus has with the Jews, a conversation that teaches us so much about humanity and our Lord.