“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
Speaking
to a Jewish audience, Jesus is making clear to them that He does not act
independently; He is of the Father. It is a challenge for the Jews who
are likely familiar with Scripture, so Jesus is appealing to them to think
through what is already written rather than to simply read and/or hear the
words. When this engagement is undertaken, then, Jesus assures them they
will soon be free of the bondage of sin and death; when they learn the
difference between being a “slave of sin” and a son not of Abraham but of the
Father (Jn 8:34-36). They will learn what is ‘true’; and by embracing
this truth, they (we!) will be set free from the shackles we often take for
granted simply because we’ve gotten used to carrying them around!
Listen
carefully to what is written. Measure everything you hear by what is
written. Be extremely cautious of those who try to “improve” on or modify,
or dismiss altogether what is already written. Be especially careful of
“reading between the lines”; that is, inserting something in Scripture that
clearly does not belong. These things are how we become enslaved to
thoughts, ideas, and opinions that are indeed independent of the Father!
Blessings,
Michael
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