The truth will set you free
John 8:31-32 - Freedom is attainable for all who follow Jesus and abide in His Word!
“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.””
John 8:31-32 NIV
Today’s verses come from the Gospel of John, in a chapter filled with key moments from the ministry of Jesus. He kept a woman accused of adultery from being stoned by stating “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7). He testified to the Pharisees and teachers of the law, saying “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). And He told the Jews who He is (the son of God) in John 8:23-24: “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins.”
After listening to all of these statements, most of the Jewish leaders still didn’t understand who Jesus was and what He had come to achieve. There was a small and growing group for whom the proverbial lightbulb had been switched on, and it is to that group that Jesus spoke in these verses. He knew that they had grasped the basics of belief, and He began to tell them what they needed to do to continue and grow in that belief. In his commentary on the Gospel of John, Leon Morris explains what is happening:
“This section of the discourse is addressed to those who believe, and yet do not believe. Clearly they were inclined to think that what Jesus said was true. But they were not prepared to yield Him the far-reaching allegiance that real trust in Him implies. This is a most dangerous spiritual state.”1
Next, Jesus told them that “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples”. Other Bible translations use the phrase “If you abide in My word” meaning to live in or dwell in His word. To truly be a disciple of Jesus — both during His earthly ministry and today — one must live in His word. In another commentary on John’s Gospel, R.V.G. Tasker described what abiding in His word means:
“Welcoming it, being at home with it, and living with it so continuously that it becomes part of the believer’s life, a permanent influence and stimulus in every fresh advance in goodness and holiness.”2
Note that Jesus called on the men to abide in His word. That phrase points out the unity between the Father and the Son. To some of those present, this would have seemed to be blasphemy; to others, the divinity of Jesus was revealed.
Jesus went on to say “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Powerful words! This is what happens when one lives in the Word of Jesus. By proving ourselves to be His disciples, we know the truth, and God frees us from sin through His truth.
Enduring Word has this to say about being set free by His truth:
There is nothing like the freedom we can have in Jesus. No money can buy it, no status can obtain it, no works can earn it, and nothing can match it. It is tragic that not every Christian experiences this freedom, which can never be found except by abiding in God’s word and being Jesus’ disciple.
Freedom is attainable for all who follow Jesus and abide in His Word!
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Today’s prayer comes from Knowing Jesus:
Loving Lord, I want to know You more, 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.
Scripture quotations taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica US, Inc.®. Used by permission.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Commentary quotations from Enduring Word are used with the written permission of the author
Morris, Leon "The Gospel According to John" (The New International Commentary on the New Testament) (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1971)
Tasker, R.V.G. "The Gospel According to John: An Introduction and Commentary" (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) (Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 1988)