John 8.32 is one of the most popular and profound statements of all time. There Jesus said the following:
…You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.
But just before that—in fact, in the very same sentence—Jesus made a far less popular remark when He said this:
If you continue in my Word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.
As you can see, Jesus placed an important condition on “being set free by truth.” And the condition was simply that one would first need to “continue in the Word,” or in the teachings of Christ.
That’s a whole different matter!
Because if we ever expect to be set free from our bondage to sin and be at proper peace with God and ourselves, and at more peace with others, we must continue in—or live by—the teachings of Jesus.
God’s salvation through Jesus Christ will set you free from sin, from worries, even from the fear of death. And those worries will be replaced with joy and confidence in the fact that you are abiding in the teachings of the Word!
But to “continue in the Word,” you must first “know the Word,” and to know the Word you must “educate yourself about what it says.” Then and only then will we “be set free” by it.
Please also carefully consider Jesus’ use of the word “truly,” which in the Greek suggests “in reality” or “of certainty.” He was basically saying: “If you continue in my Word, you are truly-really-certainly my disciples.”
This of course clearly implies that someone could actually believe in Jesus and yet not be a “real follower” in the eyes of God—that is, again, if that person wasn’t continuing to live by the teachings of the Word of God.
And this was neither the first nor last time Bible readers would be reminded of the need to not just know but actually obey the Word. For example, in Luke 6.46 Jesus said:
Why do you call me, `Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?
(Luke 6.46)
Then in Matthew 7.21 He added:
Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
And just three verses later…
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…[but solemnly warned that] the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.
Then, the Biblical writer James made things so plain that even children could understand his point. He said that…
“…faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead,” and , “Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do,” and, “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder,” and, “You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?” and, regarding Abraham, “You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did,” and, “a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone,” and finally, “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”
(James 2)
And by the way, James also said this:
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
(James 1.22)
It’s harder to get plainer that that, isn’t it?
Yet the Hebrew writer made it even plainer by announcing…
Although he was a Son, He learned obedience from what he suffered. And, once made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him.
(Hebrews 5.8-9)