John 8:31-32 English Standard Version
The Truth Will Set You Free
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
We read the Word in a time when the Holy Bible has been canonized, translated, studied, taught, discussed endlessly and published more often than any other document on earth. We have the distinct pleasure of doing so in what we like to think of as enlightened times.
The Jews that Jesus was addressing here in chapter 8 of the gospel of John remained with Him after many stopped following Him in John 6:66. These Jews accepted the hard saying of Jesus that went against their religious training. They had one thing we do not. They had Jesus in the flesh in their presence, they got to see God in the flesh.
What had not happened yet was foretold by Jesus and the loss of His presence did not diminish their believing in Him. We do not know how His death and resurrection might have changed their understanding but there came a time in their lives when their reality had to give way to faith in His absence. What did not go away were His words.
Now nearly two thousand years later we have the opportunity to receive His Word into our hearts and allow His Word to regulate our life in Christ. Doing so allows us to discover the abiding presence, the indwelling Word, Jesus Christ.
What is different for us and the believing Jews of John 8:31-32 is the Comforter who has been sent because we placed our faith in Christ. It is the Spirit of Truth that testifies of Jesus and helps us through every doubt and fear.
Doubt and fear are tools of the enemy.