The Truth Shall Make You Free
People are increasingly co-opting Biblical phrases, including things Jesus said about Himself, to legimize the current “freedom” movements. Bordering on blasphemy, applying a statement made by God about Himself, His salvation, or His Scripture to a worldly conflict that may or may not resolve to the benefit of those using it, is dangerously flippant toward Christ.
“The Truth shall make you free,” has nothing to do with public health statistics or medical treatments. It is a direct quote from Christ, Who said, “IF you abide in My word, you are indeed My disciples, and you shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free.” John 8:31. After explaining to the Jews hearing Him, that whoever commits sin is a servant of sin, and does not live in the master’s house forever as the Son does, He affirmed that, “If the Son therefore makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (v 36) In John 14:6, He states clearly for any who don’t understand, “I am the way, THE TRUTH, and the life; no one comes to the Father but by Me.”
Jesus was not referring to a base material fact when He referred to the Truth that makes men free, but to Himself as the living Truth, the author and source of Truth, Whose coming brought Truth to mankind, Whose death would provide atonement for men’s sin, and Whose resurrection would bring everlasting life to all who believe on Him.
Christ was not endorsing any earthly position, regardless of its truth-value as a statement of fact, nor is the freedom to which He referred a political, social, or psychological freedom from human oppression. Our slave-master was sin, and its wages death. (Rom 6:24) The freedom won by faith in Christ, the eternal Truth, is freedom from the penalty of sin and its enslavement, which is the good news we are to proclaim. To cheapen Christ’s words and despise the blood of His covenant, is a fool’s game; God does not hold anyone guiltless who takes His name in vain, nor who considers Christ’s shed blood worthless.
Lies are suffocating this world, and God’s saints recognize that the most flagrant today are ushering in the last great deception, and with it, the evil system that will end this world’s time. Those with knowledge of objective facts have a responsibility to share them as widely as we can, to protect the vulnerable and seek to draw the deceived out of the snare while it’s possible. But we must never conflate the facts of this world’s events and structures with the divine Truth that is the living God, incarnate in Jesus Christ, Who came to a sin-ravage world in order to bring forgiveness and eternal life to sin-dead humanity, through His sacrifice of His own body to die in our place, and the demonstration of His power and authority in rising from death, conquering sin forever. Only if we remain in His word, are we His disciples indeed, knowing Him, the Truth, by Whom we shall be made free indeed.
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