John 8:30-31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
Haven’t we all have heard verse 32 more often eloquently quoted in preaching, teaching and even more so in prayer? How about the previous verse?
What ‘knowing the truth' really mean to you? Is it the memorizing scripture 'Logos' by the yard? Is it the leading or guidance 'Rhema' that we receive from time to time? Is it our down deep doctrinal PhD level understanding of Bible? Or, is it our ability to expound on, pray with it anytime for any audience?
The answer to the question is in verse 31, that's much less used/preached. While God’s salvation is free, God’s promises are always conditional. While verse 32 declares the promise, the pre-requisite to inherit is in verse 31 ‘abide in My Word’. Abiding simply put, is obeying in simple, practical, day to day life. Knowledge just brings awareness but it is obedience that brings freedom. Obedience, not just in the Church, Prayer meeting, Bible Studies or among believers. But, in the market place, in the tax filing, in the workplace, in every relationship within family and extended family.
I’ve seen enough scripturally strong prayer warriors manifest the meanest mindset or attitude when it comes to others within the Church or family or extended family! I’ve seen the enough men fight ‘eye for an eye’ in the board meetings and general body meetings leaving nothing to spare! I’ve heard enough 'Christian' professionals boast about how they outsmart (aka cheat) the tax system! I've heard enough business owners boasting on smart circumventing of 'labor laws' to their personal gain.
How is it that all of them have enough number of bible verses under their belt to quote in an instance and justify!?! All of them start their mean talk, board meetings, tax filing and labor practices with a piously pelted prayer under the breath or at the top of their lungs! Is this the freedom that Jesus spoke about?
Charles Finney said “Objective doctrine is morally wrong without practical application”. Para-phrasing Charles Finney, it would have been better if you had not known the truth indeed. Now that you know the truth but fail to apply in real life or deliberately step over it, there are real consequences as it leads in slavery to sin rather than setting you free.
Hard truth, isn’t it? Words are cheap, deeds come at a price. Are you willing to pay the price or escape under the premise that ‘everyone else do it’? Jesus addresses verse 31 to the ‘Jews who believed in HIM’ not unbelievers. Verse 34 gives the judgement "whoever commits sin is slave to it and he does not abide in the house forever’.
How long would we dwell in the doctrinal security of ‘knowing’ but not ‘living’? I’ve heard enough sermons that left me with a feeling of having attended a great math class or science symposium that was lot of learning and then just move on to real life! That kind of ‘knowing the truth’ is a false sense of security that sets us slaves and casts us out of God’s household.
For ‘the truth’ to set us free, it’s application in our lives must be evident to the world. Otherwise, it is futile. Would we follow the Jesus model as Luke records in Acts 1:1 The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach
Jesus lived by the Word and preached, not the other way around. Jesus did not just preach about carrying the cross, he did carry it for you and me. Jesus did not just teach patience but is patience and long suffering even today for more to be saved. If all that is true, then it is not a casual note that He made about coming again. JESUS WILL COME. Are you ready? Has HIS truth really set you free yet?
Lord, would you turn our 'knowledge' of you into action? Bless our preaching and teaching to be alive with practical application. May it stir our hearts to come alive in your truth to abide and enjoy the real freedom Your TRUTH brings. Amen!
Have a blessed week, Church!
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