"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free"-- John 8:32
I was intrigued by this verse from the first time I read it.
* What truth?
* How are we set free?
* Free from what?
Maybe you've had some of these same questions. If there is a 'truth', most of us want to know it. We don't like to be deceived or manipulated. We like others to be forthright, we don't want an interpretation of the 'truth', we just want the truth. Interesting to know that in John 6:14, Jesus said "I am the way, the truth and the life".
A few years ago I went to Kampala , Uganda with the Rafiki organization to work in a school for teenage girls. I stopped in London on the way home. I got off a bus at the wrong end of Hyde Park and started walking across the park toward my destination, the Kensington Palace. I had done a lot of walking that day, had a bad cold, and was very tired; it was late afternoon.
Two collage-age girls approached me. One had a clip board and told me they were a part of a group of students who met regularly to discuss religion and spiritual issues. She asked if I would answer some questions. I did not want to be delayed, but I answered her questions and shared the gospel from I Corinthians 15: 1-5, which says in part, ...."Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures....." I think it's interesting that the English word 'gospel' comes from the Anglo-Saxon word, 'godspell', which meant 'good news'. If there is anything in our world that is 'good news', it's the gospel of Jesus Christ!
One of the girls smiled at me, I knew she was a believer, the other one tossed her head back and stated, "You see, I don't believe that"! I'm afraid I wasn't too loving or patient that day, I told her, "Just because you don't believe it, doesn't mean it's not true". She looked surprised at my response. I don't think I'd ever given much thought to that before those words came out of my mouth, but think about it.....do you have to believe something is true to make it true?
The Bible doesn't give us 'A' truth, it gives 'THE' truth. There is a huge difference.
We have a perfect God, who has a perfect plan, and has created a perfect place for us to spend eternity with Him......and only perfect people will be there, or we couldn't call it 'heaven'. Since we are all flawed and unable to gain perfection in our own right, which is why we need to be set free, God sent us a savior. Jesus Christ said.....
"For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him
shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day (judgement)".
John 6:40
The very Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, comes to live in us. We are then free of the struggle to please God, and live by faith in the Jesus....Romans 1:17 "For in the gospel a righteous is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith...." Paul writes in Romans 8:1 'There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ'....and this is how we are set free, by being 'in Christ'.
So... we know from Scripture that Jesus is the Truth, He has set us free by paying the price for our imperfections (sin),by sacrificing His life so our life could become whole. When we know this truth, we experience.....
* Power in our lives through the Holy Spirit - Acts 1:8 - 'You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you'
* Peace knowing that God loves us and is able to work 'all things together for good',
Romans 8:28.
* Praise to the One from whom all blessings flow!
Power - Peace - Praise......thank you Lord for what you have done for those who believe in YOU.
