“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32 ESV).
Jesus gave those who believed in Him and continued in His word three promises. The first promise was assurance of salvation. For those who abide or continue in Christ’s word prove themselves to be His disciples. They live in His word and His word lives in them.
The second promise was that His disciples would “know the truth.” In order to fully understand this statement, we must recognize that in John’s gospel, truth is not a philosophy but a Person. As Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). So Jesus is the truth and the word he speaks is from the Father and has the power to sanctify and cleanse us. As Jesus prayed to his Father for us, “Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth” (John 17:17).
This leads to the third promise Jesus gave, which was the “truth will set you free.” Free from what? Sin’s bondage and sin’s penalty. Abiding in Christ’s word and knowing the truth, we are set free from our propensity to sin. The old sin nature is crucified, losing its power over us. And the penalty of sin, which is death (Rom. 6:23), is paid for according to the gospel truth– that Jesus paid the death that we owed, so that we might receive eternal life.
Jesus is the truth. Do you know Him?
PRAYER: Dear Father, we have believed in Jesus and in His word, therefore we know the truth and have been set free from sin. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Strengthen us to walk in the truth today by your Spirit of Truth. In Jesus’ name, amen.