“If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31,32). “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (v.36).
A disciple of Christ is one who lives in His Word. We cannot separate discipleship from the Word of Christ. To live in the Word of Christ means to follow its injunctions. A disciple of Christ will obey and teach the teachings of Christ. The word [i]continue[/i] indicates to endure. A Christian disciple will endure all that the Word implies.
The greatest bondage is the bondage of sin. Even while man is indulging in the pleasures of sin, he is a slave to its excesses. It is not possible to pursue sin and at the same time be free. All excess is sin and all sin is excess. There are some things that are legal and right in its proper confines; however, outside of those boundaries the legal becomes sinful. When the legal becomes an indulgence, the indulgence is the master and freedom is lost. It is quite impossible to control sin by human strength. Sin always weakens the moral powers of a person. There are two things that happen when one allows an excess. One is that confidence in the ability to master sin is eroded. Another thing is that the conscience smites. Both are a loss of freedom.
Truth is a great liberator. This is true in many literal and physical aspects of life. The unknown brings fear to the mind. To know the truth of the condition and surroundings opens the way to make good decisions. Most always a patient is relieved when he learns the truth of his condition even though his condition is serious. In any crisis the best is to know the truth of the situation. It is then that right prayers can be made, and counsel can be sought. In the light of the truth the best treatment can be plotted.
If these things are true in the physical world, it is just as true in the spiritual realm. No one is able to deal with his spiritual problems without knowing the truth. We are inclined to make spiritual problems so complicated that we are hardly able to find an answer. Sometimes these complications actually hide the truth. God did not intend to make Christian living a complicated life. From time to time there are some unknown factors hidden away. The answers are found in Jesus and His Word.
There are some simple truths in the plan of salvation. Number one is that all people are either saved or lost. Number two is that all people can be saved. Number three is that all saved people are saved in the same manner. God does not have several plans whereby to save people. Another truth is that not necessarily do all saved people always feel so saved, and all lost people always feel so lost. The truth is that salvation is more a matter of faith then feeling. Another truth is that it is not possible to repent ourselves into the kingdom of God, but repentance does bring sins to the cross. Another truth is that a commitment to obedience and service will keep us at the foot of the cross where the atoning blood of Christ assures salvation.
“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:32).
102 Devotional Sermonettes, Used by Permission
