Free

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

John 8:31-32

What is freedom and how may we be free? Christ was in controversy with the Jewish religionists. They were appalled at His claims to be the Son of God. They were unable to answer His words and works. In their estimation, He was making extravagant claims. Christ did not recant or retreat. As a result of His words and deeds, many believed on Him. To them, He said, ‘If you abide in My word, you are my disciples indeed.’ To abide in His word is to live according to His commands, the chief of which is to love others as He does. To know the truth as He has articulated it will genuinely free us. The religionists could not abide such a bold declaration. Their response was, ‘We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, You will be made free?’ They had been in bondage as a nation and were currently under the domination of Rome. They imagined their freedom was connected to their adherence to the law of Moses. What they had done to the law was to overlay it with an astronomical amount of extra-biblical rules and regulations. They had done more to obscure the truth than to expound it. Christ’s message cut through all of that. Thus, they were inflamed against Him. His truth, however, prevailed. It has continued in the succeeding centuries to make people free. 

Our Great God and our Savior,
we rejoice that You never fail to speak truth.
We praise You that the knowledge of
Your truth makes us free.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning