Just because something is true doesn’t mean that a person automatically walks in the freedom of that truth. We see this in Christianity as much as we see it in history.
People like to quote John 8:32 without taking Jesus’ words in context…
“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” – JOHN 8:32 (NLT)
Let’s back up a verse…
“Jesus said to the people who believed in Him, “You are truly My disciples if you remain faithful to My teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” – JOHN 8:31-32 (NLT)
Jesus was talking to believers; notice a key word here, “You are truly My disciples IF you remain faithful to My teachings…” IF is a word that requires an action or response. You have to choose to remain faithful to God’s teachings. Over the past few months, I’ve referred to 2 Corinthians 3:18 a lot, which says “Now the ‘Lord’ I’m referring to is the Holy Spirit, and wherever He is Lord, there is freedom.”
The Truth is, there is freedom; the IF is yielding to and submitting to the lordship of God concerning what He says about you. No matter how much freedom is available to you, if you don’t believe it, you’re not going to receive it.
A prisoner sitting in a jail cell could have the door to that cell unlocked and that door swung wide open; they could be told, “you’re free” but unless the prisoner accepts that truth and ACTS UPON IT, they remain imprisoned!
When Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation (and subsequently when the 13th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, abolishing slavery), slaves were proclaimed free. Yet, there were former slaves who either didn’t know that slavery was abolished or didn’t believe it, so in their minds they were still slaves.
Let’s look at another word in John 8:32…the word KNOW. That word doesn’t simply mean to perceive something; the word actually refers to “a thorough experience with” something. Jesus told His disciples, “If you remain faithful to My teachings, you will have a thorough experience with the truth.” That thorough experience sets a person free!
Why?
We have an adversary, who tries to proclaim lies as being truth. Circumstances may come into your life that seem to contradict what the Word of God proclaims and the adversary will try to convince you that the circumstances are more real than God’s Truth. But when you build your life in relationship with God – thus His teachings – you won’t be swayed when such contradictions are placed before you.
I thoroughly know my wife Shanti. We don’t just have a casual relationship. So if someone were to come to me and say, “Your wife said this (terrible) thing about you!” I would know it’s a contradiction to what I know is true. I’d reject that lie immediately because I have developed a thorough experience with her over the years.
Knowing God is the source of everything that pertains to life and godliness! Jesus Christ has freed all who believe on Him; that freedom is total and complete! So building our lives on that truth will keep us standing firm when challenged by things that contradict it
It’s crucial that we continue to speak God’s Word in our lives. God created the word by SPEAKING things into existence; Jesus spoke to a dead Lazarus and proclaimed, “Come forth“! Romans 10:17 reminds us that faith comes by hearing God’s Word…what stronger way to hear than by speaking it ourselves?
Practice speaking God’s Word daily; that Truth may be unseen in the natural, but I challenge you to let that “unseen” Truth have more sway in your life than any seen contradictions to God’s Word. Be ruled by faith, not by sight!
To hear the entire August 29, 2021 teaching on which this post is based, CLICK HERE.
