True Freedom {John 7:10 - 8}

I’m writing this post just as a woman has come out accusing Judge Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct while in high school in order to derail or delay the vote to add him to the highest court in the nation. Everyone seems to be scrambling to discover the truth, and by the time you’re reading this I hope we’ll have discovered it! What is happening today is reminiscent of what was happening in these chapters we read this morning- everyone, well not everyone exactly, certainly not the religious leaders of that day, but there were others scrambling to determine whether Jesus was who He claimed to be. So, Jesus assures them that there is a way of discovering the truth for themselves, and not only that, the truth they are seeking will bring freedom:

So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.-John 8:31-32

Jesus had just finished a speech at the temple where He has described the differences between Himself and His listeners. “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” (John 8:23–24). Could you imagine being there to hear such words? And we learn a few verses later that the result of His message was that, “as he spoke, many believed in him” (v.30).

Jesus then goes onto assure those who chose to believe His message, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples’” (John 8:31). This tells us that true discipleship has to be more than mere head knowledge; a true disciple will “hold fast to [His] teachings and live in accordance with them”. Which means they will not only accept His teachings as truth, but they will also follow (or obey) them. James would later assure us that our actions would be proof of our faith (cf. James 2:17). And then John would later go onto assure us that true disciples will not only know the truth, but their eyes would be open to an even greater understanding of it (cf. 1 John 5:20).

BUT even greater than that, Jesus went onto add, “And the truth will set you free” (v.32). 

At this time in history, the Jews were under the rule of the Roman government. Even though Rome gave them some freedoms, the people were always aware of the Roman presence around them in the form of soldiers and governors and wanted nothing more than freedom from their rule over them!

When Jesus said the truth would set them free, however, He was not talking about political freedom (though the following verses indicate that’s how they received the news at that time). Jesus had something far better for them and goes onto explain in verse 34, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” Being a slave to sin is our ultimate bondage, and the freedom Jesus was offering was a spiritual freedom.

Which for us means freedom or a release from the lifestyle of habitual sin! Addictions to food, alcohol, prescription drugs! Freedom from fear, anxiety, anger, doubts. Knowing the truth and following it enables us to break free from the bondage's sin has had over us! (Some we may not even be aware of at this time.) And this freedom enables us to stand firm on the Rock that is Jesus Christ when the enemy comes at us with more doubts, temptation, etc.  

BUT it gets better, for Jesus didn’t stop there, but continued with an analogy: “Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever” (verse 35).

What was He saying? Simply, if they were to become disciples of Jesus, they would know the truth of their condition and the truth about Him, and that Truth, which is Jesus, Himself (John 14:6) would set them free, and bring them into the family of God.

Just how cool is that?