The Truth Shall Set You Free

“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 NKJV

Humans yearningly long for freedom from deep inside. History proves that even the brutal slavery system could not get hold of the explosive desire of humans for freedom. We are made and born free from the beginning that nothing can steal the freedom of humans. However, physical freedom is not enough for humans to be truly free. We are of mind and spirit as well as of body. So, the mind and spirit must be free to be completely free.

Jesus Christ the Lord is the way to total freedom. There is no other way than through Him. How can it be happen that we can be free through the Lord Jesus Christ? In the Gospel of John Chapter 8, Jesus Christ tells us how.

First, if we abide in His word, we indeed His disciples. What does it mean to abide in His word? Abiding in His word means obeying Him. It includes reading, studying, meditating, contemplating, and understanding His word. Obedience is the key to abide in His word.

If we continually obey His word, then we shall know the truth. Do not miss to note that obedience leads to know the truth, not the other way around. We cannot know the truth unless first we abide in His word.

That is why the flesh and the world never know the truth because they do not obey the word of Jesus Christ. Apostle John aptly says so, “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19 NIV)

Here the truth does not mean the religious truth like the existence of God. It includes all the truths about the universe and humanity which God made in the beginning. For instance, what man is, the purpose of living, the reason why man dies, what happens after this life, the purpose of the earth and universe, how we can abide in His word, etc. Jesus Christ is the truth. He is the Creator of the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1, John 1:1-3).

Then at last the truth shall set us free. We cannot know all. But when we abide in His word what we do know, we shall know the truth and the truth shall not fail to make us free indeed. When we obey Christ Jesus the Lord, He is able to set us free. Yes, if and only if we obey Him and His words, then we can be set free.

Why are we indeed free if the truth set us free? All humans are at war within. Our enemy is not flesh and blood but the principalities, the authorities, the powers of this dark world, and the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12). Jesus Christ is incomparably stronger than the powers of this dark world and the spiritual hosts of wickedness.

Jesus Christ told a tiny parable regarding how He would rescue us from the hands of the devil. “No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house.” (Mark 3:27 NKJV) Jesus Christ came to earth to deliver and liberate us from the real enemy of humanity the devil. That’s the true freedom. That’s the good news.