Hold to his Teaching

John 8:31-32

“To the Jews who had 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.”

Most of us are familiar with the last part of John 8:31-32, “you shall know the truth and the truth will set you free”. Almost all of us who have been incarcerated have seen it quoted in courtrooms. In actual fact, the truth did not set me free; rather it got me locked up!

I did not realize that the freedom promised as a result from knowing the truth is dependent on the verse preceding it regarding obedience to the teachings of Jesus. If we “hold” to His teaching we are true followers – the pre-condition for “knowing the truth”. Who is the Truth? Jesus (John 14:6). So that means that to the extent we know, obey and follow Jesus, the truth of His teachings will set us free! This was truly a new revelation of what had always been a very familiar verse, even to a “heathen” like I once was.

Jesus does not give us freedom to do what we want, rather our obedience to Him gives us the power to truly follow Him. The truth does not set us free, but obedience to the Truth does.

TODAY’S CHALLENGE:

Tell your Heavenly Father you want to obey as best you can today. Let Him know that you want to truly follow Jesus by following the leadership of His Holy Spirit today.

Hold to His teaching.

Dive Deeper: Study and compare John 8:31-32, 47, 51; John 9:31; John 10:22; Romans 8:14; and James 1:22-25.