John 8:31-36…
Trusting the truth…
You can know the truth and still not trust it, and so instead of being free you are bound. Many people make a claim upon Christ, but it is perseverance that proves the profession true. Those who are saved by the Son are saved from the eternal penalty of sin, and in heaven we will be saved from the presence of sin. Yet there is a fullness of truth to be experienced now.
It is a power…the truth will set you free. Believing a lie is the genesis of sin. The power of sin is to enslave us, everyone who commits (practices) sin is a slave to sin (cf. 2 Peter 2:19). Trusting the truth is the power of the cross over the power of sin in this life (1 Peter 4:1-2).
It is a process…If you abide in my word. It is not the bare knowledge of the truth that sets us free. It is that we have continued in the Word, and thus have become true disciples, and therefore we experientially know the truth. And it is that truth, the truth that we know because we are His disciples who are continuing in His Word, that truth is what will set us free. If we continue to discover the truth of the Son, we will experimentally know more and more freedom. God isn’t always going to give you some quick fix. You must learn to be a twig before you become a tree. Change is more process oriented than crisis oriented, not a moment but a momentum.
It is a promise...So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. Is there some particular sin that still shackles you? Then there is some particular truth yet to be experienced. Many, however, fail to submit to His will. Their way “works” in that it lets them control the pain with pleasure. They may intellectually know the truth, but they are experientially bound. To walk in the truth, we need to look forward in faith and see the Son deliver us from the pleasure of sin (Hebrews 11:24-27). Only when God’s truth is setting you free are you free indeed.
6 comments:
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wow that is good! I love this part!
"It is not the bare knowledge of the truth that sets us free. It is that we have continued in the Word, and thus have become true disciples, and therefore we experientially know the truth. And it is that truth, the truth that we know because we are His disciples who are continuing in His Word, that truth is what will set us free."
P.
Is there some particular sin that still shackles you? Then there is some particular truth yet to be experienced.
That is also a "wow"
Thanks Paul. Yeah, I really think this message is foundational, and critical.
Dynamite!!
Good. Hurts but its the truth. Working on trusting instead of avoiding and ignoring. This perserverance is hard work. It's much easier to keep doing what you know and exist but then your still bound. Whoever said being a Christian is easy needs a good swift kick in to reality. Thanks for the encouragement and the kick.
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