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THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE

Apologetics,

John 8:31-32, 36 NLT
[31]”Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. [32] And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”…
[36] So, if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”

“The truth will set you free.”

This is a misuse of Jesus’ statement, which is a fallacy. How often have you heard someone miquote Jesus’ words, “The truth will set you free”?

Nothing could be further from the truth! It’s like saying, “The recipe in this book will bake a cake!” How can this happen if you don’t use the words of the recipe to direct you in the process of baking a cake?

What did Jesus say, and what is the process by which we can experience true freedom?

His first statement is a condition without which it is impossible to experience freedom…

“You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.”

Discipleship based on faithful obedience to Jesus’ teachings is the foundation of freedom. What He taught was radically different from what human philosophy taught. He taught love, kindness, and mercy even towards enemies. He taught submission and obedience to a heavenly Father. He taught selfless service and generosity towards others.

These ways of living in peace and harmony with God and people frees a disciple of Jesus from the guilt and shame of wrong attitudes and wrongdoing.

Jesus offered rest from the burdensome demands and requirements of religious law and the religious leaders who policed those who broke the law. A conscience bound to law-keeping is in slavery.

A conscience in harmony with Jesus’ teachings leads to freedom.

Matthew 11:28-30 NLT
[28] “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. [29] Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. [30] For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Following Jesus means learning to live by what is true. Jesus claimed to be the truth personified. He said to His disciples, who wanted to know the way to the Father,

John 14:5-6 NLT
[5] “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?” [6] Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

Knowledge, understanding, doing what is true will release a person from failure to obey unreasonable demands that are untrue and do not work. Despite what our old, sinful nature desires, what Jesus taught and did, radically different though it was, leads to a heart at peace with God and people.

The Apostle Paul would heartily endorse Jesus’ words. His life BC (before Christ) was driven by a relentless passion to be righteous. He though he was right by destroying as many of Jesus’ followers as possible, even going outside of his own country to persecute believers.

Philippians 3:5-7 NLT
[5] “I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. [6] I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. [7] I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.”

To his great relief, he discovered that…

Romans 8:6 NLT
[6]”So, letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.”

The truth can never set anyone free. KNOWING and DOING what Jesus, who is the TRUTH, teaches is the only way to experience the freedom of forgiveness, cleansing from a guilty conscience, and the peace that reconciliation with God brings.

Romans 5:1-2 NLT
[1] “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. [2] Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.”

The world tries to dodge the truth that inner freedom is the only real freedom and that we can only experience inner freedom when we relinquish ourselves to Him as Saviour and Lord. However, the truth is that the only way to free ourselves from the demands of religion is to entrust ourselves to the only one who can set us free.

John 8:36 NLT
[36] “So, if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”

FREEDOM – FROM WHAT? 12

Christian Life, ,

Everyone longs to be free! The desire for freedom drives people to do many strange things… like murder, for example, to get rid of someone who gets in the way of one’s “freedom”, or war to take out or subdue a nation that interferes with another nation’s freedom. What about other kinds of freedom, like freedom from financial woes, freedom from physical ailments, freedom from fear, anxiety, stress and….and….If only I could be free, my life would be so much better.

And so the quest for freedom continues. People do many wrong things for the sake of freedom but, afterwards, are they really free?

Jesus was aware of this drive in people to be free, but He also knew what real freedom is and where it can be found.

In yet another clash with His opponents, including those who supposedly believed in Him, He pointed out that they would die in their sin if they refused to believe in Him. Though they claimed to be descendants of Abraham, they didn’t behave like Abraham.

‭‭John 8:39-41 NLT‬
[39] “Our father is Abraham!” they declared. “No,” Jesus replied, “for if you were really the children of Abraham, you would follow his example. [40] Instead, you are trying to kill me because I told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham never did such a thing. [41] No, you are imitating your real father.” They replied, “We aren’t illegitimate children! God himself is our true Father.”

External circumstances are not the cause of real slavery. People will always blame someone or something else for what they feel inside. Slavery is the consequence of sin. Sin enslaves one to guilt, fear, and shame as certainly as the locked door of a prison cell imprisons a law-breaker.

‭John 8:31-32 NLT‬
[31] Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. [32] And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”…
[34] Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. [35] A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. [36] So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”

In a nutshell, Jesus put His finger on the source of all slavery, sin.

The Apostle Paul put it like this…

‭Romans 6:16 NLT‬
[16]” Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.”

Trouble is that slavery to sin leads to terrible consequences.

Since everyone is born with a sin nature, inherited from Adam, all people are born slaves to sin. How can we get free from this enslavement since we will inevitably die in our sin unless someone rescues us?

Trying to keep rules won’t save us because, no matter how good we are or try to be now, we have a past we cannot escape. Our debt to God for disobedience is so huge that we could never repay it even if we lived a million years.

So, what’s the solution?

The words of Keith and Kristin Getty’s song answer that question.

“Oh to see the dawn
Of the darkest day
Christ on the road to Calvary
Tried by sinful men
Torn and beaten, then
Nailed to a cross of wood,

Oh to see the pain
Written on your face
Bearing the awful weight of sin
Every bitter thought
Every evil deed
Crowning your blood-stained brow,

This, the power of the cross
Christ became sin for us
Took the blame, bore the wrath
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh to see my name
Written in the wounds
For through your suffering I am free
Death is crushed to death
Life is mine to live
Won through your selfless love,

This the power of the cross
Son of God slain for us
What a love, what a cost,
We stand forgiven at the cross.”

Can we be truly free, free to live our lives in peace and contentment, from from issues that cause us to react against people or circumstances?

Jesus said we can if we follow Him.

‭Romans 6:5-8 NLT‬
[5]”Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. [6] We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. [7] For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. [8] And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him….
[17] Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. [18] Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.”

34]”Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. [35] A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. [36] So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”

True freedom is a heart at rest with God, oneself, and people, forgiven, free from fear, guilt, and shame, all at Jesus’ expense!

‭Hebrews 2:14-15 NLT‬
[14]”Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. [15] Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.”

‭Romans 5:1 NLT‬
[1] “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.”

‭Romans 8:1-2 NLT‬
[1] “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. [2] And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.”

TE BOOK OF ACTS – THAT WAS A CLOSE SHAVE!

Bible Study, ,

THAT WAS A CLOSE SHAVE!

“‘So here is my decision. We’re not going to unnecessarily burden non-Jewish people who turn to the Master. We’ll write them a letter and tell them, ‘Be careful not to get involved in activities connected with idols, to guard the morality of sex and marriage, not to serve food offensive to Jewish Christians — blood, for instance.’ This is basic wisdom from Moses, preached and honoured for centuries now in city after city as we have met and kept the Sabbath.'” Acts 15:19-21 (The Message).

All the heavyweights in one place, holding the future of church of the Lord Jesus Christ in their hands! Could they be trusted to make the right decision?

It was their responsibility to interpret and implement the yoke of their Rabbi to the infant church in the Roman world then and for all the generations of believers that followed them to this day. Their decision would either set people free or entangle them in the bondage of legalism and rob the cross of its power to save.

What would the New Testament have looked like for us had the decision gone the other way? Would it have become just another rule book for another powerless religion to enslave people and keep them from access to the God who yearns for the freedom and fellowship of His people?

Thank God for the Holy Spirit who was in them to guide their thoughts and understanding at this critical moment in the history of the church! The foundation was being laid for all the generations that followed. So Paul could write to Gentile believers with all the confidence and authority of the Lord Jesus and the backing of the church leaders:

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow-citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone. In Him, the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.” Ephesians 2:19-22 (NIV).

All the circumcision and law-keeping in the world had not changed the hearts of the Jews. In fact, it had only made them worse because they thought they were above everyone else; they despised the Gentiles, calling them “dogs”; they would not associate with them, much less eat with them; they considered God their exclusive possession despite their rebellion and did not think it appropriate to share His word with “outsiders”.

But now all that had changed. God had to use drastic means at times, for example, Peter’s bizarre vision before he was persuaded to go to the house of Cornelius and share the good news with him; the shocking observation of the Holy Spirit coming on and manifesting Himself in the exactly the same way as He fell on them at Pentecost, to change the minds of these stubbornly prejudiced Jews.

How could they now come to any other decision than that the Message of life in Jesus Christ was for the whole world and not just for those who had undergone a small operation? That had served its purpose for a season but had now become obsolete with the coming of the Messiah to whom all these rules and rituals pointed. Never again did they need to peer through the dark at types and shadows because Jesus had ushered in the full light of day.

Anyone who adds anything to what He has done had gone backwards from light to darkness, from life to death and from freedom to slavery all over again.

A GIFT UNUSED

Christian Life, , ,

Have you ever given someone you love a gift, only to find that it has been stashed away unused? How hurt you would feel that your friendship was so little valued that the gift was tossed aside!

How does God feel when we value His gift of salvation so little that we neglect to appropriate everything He has done for us?

The psalmist asked the question, “How can I repay the Lord for all His goodness to me?” Psalm 116:12.

Sometimes we think that we have to do something to repay God or work to earn His salvation. We try harder to be good; we work harder to serve Him because it is our way of “repaying” Him for His love to us. Is it possible to “pay” God for His love?

Imagine if your friend, to whom you have lovingly given something that has taken you thought and planning, decides that he or she must repay you by working hard for you. He or she does everything they can to please you, to repay you for your generosity.

There is something wrong here. Does one have to pay for a gift? If so, then it is no longer a gift. How pleased would you be if your friend tried to pay for your gift? It would no longer be a gift, and the motive for giving – love and friendship – would be destroyed.

We find it difficult to receive God’s gift of salvation because we cannot imagine someone doing something so big for us without some kind of payment. What did God give us? He gave us Jesus, His only Son, not just as a person but as a bloody sacrifice to save us from our self-inflicted destruction.

I think the psalmist understood God’s heart and His intention when he went on to say, “I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfil my vows in the presence of all His people.” Psalm 116:13-14.

What better way of showing gratitude for a gift than to use it for the purpose it was given. The psalmist affirmed his gratitude to God by drinking deeply of all the benefits of God’s salvation and by living out what God made him to be in the company of God’s people.

Instead of forgiving those who have offended us, we hang on to our grievances and refuse to let go of our “stuff”. Jesus made it possible for us to forgive and be free.

When we embrace Jesus and all He has done for us, we are saying a big” thank you” to God for all His goodness to us.

Jesus Did Not Say That The Truth Will Set You Free

Apologetics, , ,

JESUS DID NOT SAY THAT THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE

“O yes He did!” you might vehemently protest, and I will just as vehemently protest that He did not, at least that is not what He meant.

Let’s read what He said, in context, of course.

To the Jews who believed Him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’ (John 8:31-32)

How many times have you heard someone quote Jesus’ words out of context: ‘The truth will set you free’?

The whole truth of what He said hangs on the issue of being His disciple. Unfortunately, even being a disciple of Jesus is misunderstood today. In Jesus’ day, a disciple was a person whom a rabbi (teacher and model) called to follow him. The rabbi had implicit confidence that, after spending time with him day and night, not only learning what he believed and taught, but also learning to imitate him in every possible way, those who followed him would become a replica of him. They, in turn would teach his yoke to others.

A disciple had to learn his rabbi’s yoke – his understanding of Yahweh’s original intention in the Torah – His instructions for living that would guide him on his journey towards his destination which was Zion, the place where He had established His name. Only a rabbi with sh’mikah, the authority recongnised by two witnesses, was permitted to have his own yoke and to teach his yoke to his disciples.

Jesus had sh’mikah, authority from the Father to which both the Father and John the Baptist bore witness at His baptism, to override every other yoke and “bind” His yoke on His followers. Unlike the yoke of rabbis like Hillel and Shammai, who placed heavy burdens on people which the Pharisees and religious leaders slavishly followed, Jesus’ yoke was easy and His burden light.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matt. 11: 28-30)

It was in this context of discipleship, not to the casual observer who had no commitment to follow Jesus as his model and mentor, that Jesus spoke these words. True freedom can only be experienced by those who understand Jesus’ yoke and put it into practice in their everyday lives. The core of His yoke lies in His disposition as the Son of God and His representative on earth. He said, ‘I am gentle and humble in heart.’ Slavishly trying to follow a set of rules can never bring the rest He promised.

What is this rest He promised? It is the rest of soul that has received forgiveness of sin through Jesus and has been reconciled to the Father by faith in Christ. He is no longer obligated to keeping a set of rules to gain favour with God. He has been reinstated into His family as His son or daughter; he has received God’s gift of righteousness through Jesus; he has been redeemed from the slave market of sin and transferred from the dominion of darkness to the kingdom of God. He has a new nature and a new Master.

All this is God’s doing; it cannot be taken from him. He can rest in what God has done for him, and he is free to walk in God’s truth through the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the freedom Jesus offers to those who throw in their lot with Him in loyalty, trust and obedience.

This is a far cry from what some people believe He said, if they even know the source of the statement! There can never be true freedom outside of Jesus and outside of being His disciple by holding to His teaching. It is not the truth that sets us free but the experiential knowledge of the truth when we believe and practise the teachings of Jesus in the disposition of the Master.

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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