The Truth Shall Set You Free

Truth is an attribute of God and is unlimited, unchanging, and absolute. All truth is God’s truth and the idea of absolute truth stems from His omniscience (all knowing). He is the Creator; and our ability to comprehend truth is dependent upon Him. We can only know the truth as He has revealed it. “Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (Jn. 1:17), who is the ultimate revelation of God. 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” (Jn. 8: 31,32).

The Jews were puzzled by this statement since they perceived themselves to be free already, having “never been slaves of anyone” (vs. 33). But Jesus wasn’t talking about being subject to another person. He was talking about the freedom that comes from being His disciple. “Jesus is, “The way, the truth, and the life” (Jn. 14:6). Knowing Jesus and His Word liberates us from the law of sin and death, and sets us free from our past in order that we can be the people God created us to be.

Cognitive truth is something we can intellectually know to be true by reason and observation. It is true that you are reading this right now, and it is true that two plus two equals four. Biblical truth is moral truth because it reflects the nature of God. Truth, in the moral sense, is far more than intellectual awareness or the ability to reason logically. When believed, God’s eternal truth stems from the heart and affects the whole inner character of a true disciple of Jesus. Paul refers to this as “knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness” (Tit. 1:1). Contrast this with the devil who did not hold “to the truth, for there was no truth in him” (Jn. 8:44). Wicked men suppress the truth by their wickedness (Rom. 1:18), and those who don’t know and believe God have exchanged the truth of God for a lie (Rom. 1:25).

Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin” (vs. 34). In Luke 4:16-21, Jesus makes it clear that Isaiah 61:1 is referring to Him as the Messiah who will deliver us from sin. Through Jesus Christ the law of the Spirit of life set us free from the law of sin and death (Rom. 8:2). As liberated children of God we are no longer subject to the law of sin and death. We are free in Christ to live a righteous life.

The only thing that a Christian ever has to admit to is the truth. Truth is not something we fear. It is the liberating agent by which people in bondage are set free from the law of sin and death. The Holy Spirit is “the Spirit of truth” (Jn. 14:17) and He will lead us into “all truth” (Jn. 16:13), and that truth will set us free.

Dr. Neil

For Spanish, see http://www.ficmm.org/blog

9051 Executive Park Drive, Suite 503 • Knoxville, TN 37923 • 865.342.4000