By: yesHeis
Freedom. Everyone is obsessed with it. We hear it sung in the music we listen to, we see it featured in movies and marketers sell us the idea of freedom to get us to buy products.
In John 8:32, Jesus states, “…you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” What does that stir in your heart? Do you believe it or has it become familiar like all the other offers of freedom sprinkled throughout your day?
To grasp the depth of this statement and understand how it affects our lives today, we need to understand the culture, time and place Jesus was in when He spoke those words. So what did Jesus mean when He said, “the truth will set you free”? Let’s break it down…
The Jewish religion had over 600 rules and regulations to follow and these had consequences when broken. The Jewish people understood that if a rule was broken there was a sacrifice to be made. Jesus, being a Jew, lived by these rules and during His lifetime He kept all 600 rules, never breaking one. Quite a feat. This made Him the only person who never needed to make a sacrifice.
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them.” — Matthew 5:17
Jesus states here that He is the fulfilment of the law and the sacrifice to end all sacrifices for everyone.
“Jesus replied, ‘Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.’” — John 8:34–36
True freedom is the knowledge that Jesus has triumphed over sin to set us free. We each have weaknesses and when we try to tackle these on our own we fail. Instead of experiencing the fullness of life, we can become paralysed by our failings and we find ourselves on the sidelines of life.
“Freedom is what we have — Christ has set us free! Stand, then, as free people, and do not allow yourselves to become slaves again.” — Galatians 5:1
Whatever your struggle — fear, anxiety, anger, addiction, depression — Christ has set you free! Jesus is ready and waiting to speak His truth into that moment. In your struggle, God’s truth will overcome it. Decide today to walk in His offer of freedom and in doing so, help others to do the same!
Article supplied with thanks to The Journey by yesHEis.
About the Author: yesHEis provides various resources to help share your faith in relatable ways.
