Free at last
May 22
John 8: 31To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
The above passage is one of those if then statements that Jesus makes many times throughout Scripture. Here Jesus is speaking to the people believe in him and from the previous paragraph we see that people were believing in Jesus all the time as he spoke. And Jesus begins to speak in verse 31 by saying the word “if”. Whenever Jesus starts with the word if, we know that what follows is an either or situation. In this case Jesus says to them “if you hold to my teaching”, then certain things will happen.
What does it mean to hold his teaching? In this case it is like saying if you can cling to my teaching. In other words you must hold on to it and don’t let it go. It reminds me of the parable of the seed, with some seed falls on hard ground, some seed falls on the thorny ground and some seed falls on good ground. The seed that falls on hard ground is nothing gets blown away in the wind. The seed that falls on the thorny ground can easily be picked up and removed by birds before it takes root. Jesus is saying that it is not enough to just believe in him briefly then slowly lose our belief. We need to stay the course.
For those who contribute to believe that you hold fast to the teaching of Jesus, this is evidence that they are truly disciples of Jesus. I am sure that if you like me want to be known as disciples of Jesus, then you will want him to look at you and say well done you good and faithful servant, you have stayed the course.
In addition to being known as a disciple of Jesus, we who hold fast to our belief in Christ will know the truth. Remember that Jesus does say that I am the way the truth and the life. So when we know him we know the truth. But we don’t really know him unless we hold on to our belief in him. And what is the consequence of knowing the truth? Jesus says that if you know the truth, then the truth will set you free. It is the will of Jesus that we be free and not in bondage. Jesus says elsewhere in Scripture that I have come to set the captives free.
So my question to you is do you know him? If you do really know him, then the truth will have set you free and you will be free indeed.