PEA RIDGE — “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32 (NIV)
It seems to me this is one of those passages that we like to quote and refer to, without always understanding what it means. In fact the phrase “the truth will set you free” is sometimes used in our culture by people who have no idea that it comes from Scripture. Let’s consider at least part of what’s going on in this passage and how we really experience this freedom that’s promised.
Consider these statements that I believe to be true:
◊To lose weight I need to eat healthy and exercise more.
◊An active lifestyle that includes consistent exercise will contribute to my overall health.
◊My relationships with the important people in my life are more important than the things I own.
◊I can’t consistently spend more than I make and expect to experience financial stability.
◊Consistent preventative maintenance will be necessary if I expect my car to serve me well.
◊My children are more likely to follow my example than simply do what I say.
We would probably all agree that simply believing these things to be true is not enough. Belief in the right things will not result in weight loss, health, healthy relationships, financial stability - you get the idea. In fact, many of us are living testaments to the fact that we can hold dear the right set of beliefs in certain areas of our life and experience something vastly different in reality.
We all know that we must, in fact, act on what we know for it to make a difference in our lives.
Now, back to our passage of Scripture. Though there is a larger context to consider, since Jesus was in a dialogue with some Jewish leaders at the time, let’s see what happens to what is communicated when we consider it in the context of the verse before it. 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.” John 8:31-32 (NIV)
If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Jesus talked about this kind of thing at other times. Consider these words toward the end of the Sermon on the Mount: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24 (NIV).
“Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice…” It would seem that knowledge apart from application is somewhat useless.
Apparently, this promised freedom we can experience is connected to obeying Jesus’ teaching and living as His disciples.
We live in an age when information is abundant.
I have more information available to me through the smart phone I carry in my pocket than previous generations could access in a lifetime. Information is not my problem. I heard John Maxwell say in reference to Christians, “We are educated way beyond the level of our obedience.”
My problem is not knowledge of what I need to do.
In fact, I believe the Scripture teaches that until I act on what God has revealed to me, I don’t really need more information. Could that be at least part of why we don’t impact our world and culture with the Good News of Jesus more than we do? Could it be that just maybe if Christians started radically obeying the teachings of Jesus we could change our world?
So, let me leave you with a couple of questions to consider. Is there some knowledge that God has revealed to you that you have yet to act on? Some truth about your relationships, heath, relationship with God or any other area of life that you know to be true, but you have yet to take the next step? Knowing the truth without acting on what you know will not make a difference. Take the next step and watch the promises of God unfold!
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Editor’s note: Al Fowler is the pastor of First Baptist Church, Pea Ridge. He can be contacted at 451-8192, or by e-mail at [email protected].
Church, Pages 2 on 10/10/2012