Truth and Freedom

Truth and Freedom

Many people including non-believers quote Jesus, one example is, “Know the truth and the truth will set you free.” Most including believers do not truly understand what Jesus is saying and so they misuse this quote to speak of being free from something because they have learned a truth. That is not what Jesus was saying, the misunderstanding comes from not quoting the full statement and understanding the context in which Jesus was teaching. Jesus was teaching! He never just gave out quotable quotes! Everything He said is a lesson to be learned and lived, that’s why He said He would send His Holy Spirit to remind us of everything He said (John 14:25-26).

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 will make you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free?’” Jesus answered, “Truthfully I tell you, whoever commits sin is a slave to sin, and a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:31-36) There is so much in these verses but I am going to stay on subject.

In the natural the Jews were at that time under bondage to the Romans and had been under bondage to numerous nations throughout their history going back to Egypt. But Jesus was not speaking about natural bondage, He was talking about spiritual bondage and the Jews knew it that is why they could say they had never been under bondage to anyone. But, they had, they had been under bondage to baal, ashtora, magog, molech and many other false demonic gods throughout their history. But, Jesus brings it right to the heart of the matter – sin! Sin has ruled over humanity since the Garden of Eden and it ruled over every Jew.

So the freedom Jesus was teaching them about was from sin, no longer being a slave to sin. The truth was that they, like us were slaves to sin, under the bondage of doing what sin required with the eternal result of judgment and damnation. Jesus was talking about being free from the rule and power of sin and its eternal consequences. Study John 8 and Romans.

Here is a cross reference to John 8:32, “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” John 13:17 Jesus said this after He washed the feet of the 12 disciples during the Passover supper. The context is this statement to them is, So When He had washed their feet, taken His garments and sat down again, He said “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and LORD, and you say well for so I Am. If I then, your LORD and Teacher have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you. Truthfully, I tell you a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” John 13:12-17 also study Proverbs 22:17-21.

Now Jesus is not talking to the crowds but to His 12 select disciples and He is giving them an example of being a servant not a ruler. Jesus came as The LORD and Master, The Teacher, The Savior: but, He also came as a servant not lording over His disciples and the nation of Israel His authority and power, but teaching them how to live in it as servants. Jesus exampled for us being a ruling servant: we are to rule over His enemies while serving His creation by doing the will of the Father in the earth as it is in Heaven!

These are the keys, “Do you know what I have done to you? You should do as I have done to you!” We cannot be free from the sin of lording over others until we know the truth. Jesus the LORD of all creation in the heavens, in the seas, in the earth and under the earth came in obedience to the Father as a servant to deliver us from the bondage of sin and death. The proof of our understanding is doing the will of GOD in the earth as it is in Heaven as a servant to all whether sinner or saint. Like Jesus we have to cry out to our Father in Heaven, “Not my will, but Your will be done!” If we serve GOD how we want only doing what we feel called to do rather than seeking first His Kingdom for our life (what He gifted and called us to do).

That’s another scripture that is often misused, Matthew 6:33, “Seek you first the Kingdom of GOD and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.” That is almost exclusively taught as a provision and prosperity verse because that is what Jesus had been talking about, food and clothing and in another passage, appearance, He also talked about shelter. These are not the things of GOD’s Heavenly Kingdom that He wants us to seek! He wants us to seek Him, His righteousness and His Heavenly Kingdom. Food, clothing, shelter and health are the side effects of seeking GOD first and His will for our life, not the goal of seeking GOD first for our life!

Remember the parable of the houses built on sand or solid rock, Matthew 7:24-28, from all He said from the beatitudes, the Our Father prayer, in-depth defining of the commandments and the LORD, LORD statement He concluded with the fact that if we do not know and keep His commandments, if we do not build our life on the foundation of who He is, our life’s work will be lost and possibly us with it. Study (Matthew 5 – 7)

Remember, it is not about me nor is it about you, it is about Jesus and Him lifted up so that humanity is drawn from darkness to His Light, Life and Love!