“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
Many of us have heard this verse before. It’s one of Jesus’ most famous sayings, “the truth will set you free.” What is probably much less commonly remembered is the part that precedes it. Jesus said that to truly be his disciple, you must follow his teachings. Then, and only then, will we know the truth. Then, and only then, will we be set free.
Understanding this concept is such a vital part of the whole concept of being “set free.” So often, we seek freedom in rebellion, as if it is the commands of God that we are seeking freedom from. We are tempted to see God’s way as restrictive, boring, or difficult. We stick to the rules that are easy, and we find ways to convince ourselves that the rest isn’t that important. There’s nothing further from the truth.
Freedom comes from knowing Christ and following him. Freedom comes from understanding that sin is what enslaves you, not God. Freedom comes from experiencing the fullness of life that Jesus’ way offers us compared to the ways of the world.
If you want to find the truth and to be set free by it, dedicate yourself to faithfully following the teachings of Christ. You’ll never find freedom in rebellion, because Satan wants to trap you. He wants to tell you that God’s “rules” are just holding you back from what you really want. He wants to entice you into his snare. God wants only good things for you. He knows what sin leads to. He knows the consequences. The things we see as “rules” were actually given to us as caution signs. We don’t let children play in the street because they may be hit by a car. In the same way, the teachings that God has given us have been given so that we can avoid the pain, the slavery, and the death that all come from sin.
Prayer:
Father,
Help me to follow you and to know the truth. Help me not to see you commands as chores to be followed but as a guide to freedom and life. Thank you for setting me free from all sin, and thank you for the sacrifice of Jesus.
In His Name,
Amen.
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