.....Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8: 31-32).

Are you free? Do you struggle with any area of bondage? Maybe you’re trapped in patterns of uncertainty, negative thought or unhealthy behavior, and do not know what to do. You hope to resolve to do better next time, but doesn"t happen. When the pressure mounts, you find no solution and fall into the same over and again.  Then you realize that you need liberation.                               

On one occasion, Jesus said to the Jews who believed in Him, "If you abide in my word, then you are my disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:31-32). The key to genuine freedom is simply found in the phrase; "abide in my word". Jesus says we come to know the truth by continuing in His teachings, and truth is that which will LIBERATE US or make us free in all aspects of life.  

According to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Bible contains the words of prophecy (Revelations 22:18-19), the prophetic word of the counsel of God (Proverbs 19:20-21). The word of the Lord that is not just "counsel,"  but the prophetic word of truth that shall make you free from false  teachings.

Jesus' first documented encounter with the Pharisees, the doctors and teachers of the law in the Synagogue was favorable; they were amazed with the Holy-Spirit-provided wisdom of the twelve year old son of who they thought to be a carpenter (Luke 2:40-52).  About twenty one years later, when Jesus' ministry began, the reaction of the doctors to Him, and His miracles, was very different. Although they came from far and wide to listen to Him, they feared and hated the wisdom with which He spoke (Luke 5:17-26).

At the Jerusalem Temple as Jesus was teaching to the people, the teachers of the law  of the Lord (what they call the Torah), as they believed to be free of sin, had brought in a women caught in adultery to be condemned by Jesus. In (John 8:1-59), Jesus taught that we are all by nature in bondage of sin without Him. The Jews doctors of the law to whom Jesus spoke—much like us—believed that they were certainly not in bondage to anything. But their response to Jesus' words revealed the deep spiritual bondage in which they were held. His words riled and angered them.

As the narrative developed, we see that the teachers of the law of the Lord were in the very need to be taught. They said in essence, "Who do you think you are, saying that we need to be set free? How dare you! We are Abraham's children, his freeborn descendants." They claimed spiritual freedom as their birthright, but they were in spiritual bondage. "Most assuredly, I say to you," Jesus said, "whoever commits sins is a slave of sin" (John 8:34).  Jesus taught them, responding,” "the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). He explained: "The Father has sent Me in order to set you free" (John 8:28). "If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:36).

In order for you to be made free, Jesus said, you have to ABIDE IN HIS WORD OF TRUTH, which is indeed a characteristic of his disciples. Abiding in His prophetic word of counsel, lead us to all truth about His teachings. Once you learn it, you are not to depart from it to the right nor to the left, but abide on it by put it into practice, and it will liberate or make you free.