"And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?" (John 8:32-33)
When the Pharisees heard Jesus’ words they were indignant and upset they felt insulted that Jesus should call them “slaves”. They tried justifying their freedom based on their heritage, "We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, ye shall be made free?”
They claim never to have been in bondage, they ignore the fact that their forefathers were slaves in Egypt, they were taken to Babylon in chains, and they were slaves to the Assyrians. Even at at this point in time they were slaves to Rome, how blind they were.
The freedom Jesus was talking about was spiritual freedom. It wasn’t the slavery you could break free from on your own. It was slavery that needed the help of someone more powerful. This is not the slavery that parents could set them free from, not even your friends or teachers or relatives. It was not the freedom that money could pay for; This was the freedom that could only be paid for by the death of the son of God, the one who is the way, the TRUTH and the life.
The Pharisees could not see the truth in Jesus’ Word. They had become somewhat blinded by their self-righteousness that they missed the truth in the TRUTH. When I look around us today I see many who like the Pharisees do not believe they need a saviour, they believe in their own PR, they justify themselves with their good works, some believe in their parents legacy and ignore the truth in Jesus’ word “you shall know the truth”.
To the saints also He says "you shall know the truth”, Charles Stanley asks a profound question in one of his books, if we were to ask you as saints about freedom how many will boldly say they are Free indeed?
Are you constantly battling with fear, lust, jealousy, hatred, bitterness, unforgiveness, struggling with your faith, have little or no control over your anger, insecurity, habits and many more? Then you need to know the truth that Jesus has come to set us free from all these things. He has come that we might have life and have a maximised life free of all bondages.
The most amazing truth is that, you do not have to be in chains, you do not have to be behind bars to be a slave you can be slave to things. Life without the TRUTH, which is Jesus the Son of God, is a life in bondage.
The dictionary meaning of “a slave” is simply “a person who is the property of and wholly subject to another or a person entirely under the domination of some influence or person”
Jesus came to set the captives free; In Jesus’ statement He was outlining the remedy to freedom from sin and bondage.
Charles Stanley says and I quote, “Truth and freedom are constant companions. Where you find one you will always find the other. Freedom from any area of life comes from discovering the truth.”
It is the truth we know about the son of God, it is the truth we know about His redemptive power, it is the truth we know about His love for mankind, not wanting anyone to perish, it is the truth of His saving grace, it is the truth that we all have sinned and need pardon.
This is the truth that sets us free, it knows that Christ came to seek and save the lost and give us eternal life. John 8:36 "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."
Prayer of declaration:
Father God I thank you today for your freedom, I thank you for your promise that he who the son sets free is free indeed. I am therefore free from every addiction, I am free from every chain of depression, every fear... I am no more in bondage, I have been set free by the truth that l now know.
In Jesus' name
Amen
