Devotion - Thursday, March 26 - The Only Truth That Sets You Free

“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 8:31b-32

Our culture treats truth as something that is relative, something subjective.  We are told by our culture to believe that we each have our own individual “truth.”  I can speak “my truth,” and you can speak “your truth,” and if these two different truths conflict, well, that’s okay, so long as my truth is true for me, and you accept that.  This concept flies in the face of the poets, philosophers, and theologians of old who sought earnestly for the truth.  More importantly, this understanding of truth is directly contrary to the reality of God and the permanent, unchanging nature of His Word (Isa. 40:8).

The human spirit longs for truth, just as it longs for freedom.   We intuitively know that there is more to life than what we see, more than the brokenness upon which we have built our civilizations.  The problem is that men, “by their unrighteousness[,] suppress the truth,” and that, as a result, “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men” (Rom. 1:18).  

Jesus said that we will know the truth if we abide in His Word.  He literally defined “truth” when He proclaimed to fallen humanity, “‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).  Therefore, by abiding in His Word, we will truly know Him.  For this reason, King David prayed, “Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name” (Psalm 86:11).  Jesus explained that if we do not abide in Him, we can do nothing because we will be apart from Him (John 15:5).  

Jesus is the only Person about whom we can refer to “his truth.”  That is, simply, because “His truth” is “The Truth.”  He is the one who is called “Faithful and True” (Rev. 19:11).  His truth sets us free, and “if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).  Jesus frees us because He loves us: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.  Abide in my love” (John 15:9).

Questions:

1. How can you abide in God’s Word?
2. How does abiding in God’s Word result in freedom for the believer?
3. How do we obey Jesus’ command to “abide in [His] love”?