February 21
Bible Reading: John 8:31-38
John 8:31-32, “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
How free are you? People commonly assume that being free means having the ability to do whatever one wants to do. One might even say, “it’s a free country,” in defending their right to do a thing that someone else disagrees with. But the freedom spoken of in our verse transcends such thinking.
Jesus was speaking of freedom from sin, as John 8:34 explains: “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.” It is this slavery to sin that we need to be set free from. Sin is that harsh task master that enslaves us in the foolish and destructive practices which cause harm both to ourselves and others. But even worse, sin works to bind us to an earthbound way of thinking and living that dismisses both the relevance of God and the better plan He has for us. God created us to know, enjoy, and worship Him. Sin works to debilitate us regarding our God-given purpose. True freedom is not the freedom to do whatever we want to do, but to do what we ought to do—that which is in our best interests spiritually and eternally.
It is the truth about Jesus and His work that can work to set us free. By His death for sin and resurrection from the dead, He has done everything necessary to unbind us from sin’s penalty and power. The truth of the gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16). It alone has the power to save.
Thank God for the truth set forth here! You bore that enormous burden of guilt, but Jesus has worked to set you free from sin’s penalty (Colossians 2:13-15). The devil had been having his way with you, but you need not do his bidding anymore, for you have been set free from sin’s power (Ephesians 2:2). Unbeknownst to you, the broad path you were on was leading to your doom, but Jesus freed you from that path and put you on a narrow one that leads to a place where sin will be no more (Matthew 7:13-14; 1 John 2:15-17).
How free are you? You were like a bird trapped in a cage, but the truth has worked to set you free to fly to the heights of God’s divine purpose! How beautiful then is the truth that has worked to set you free! And how devoted we should be to knowing it better and living it well!
True freedom is not the freedom to do whatever we want to do, but to do what we ought to do!
OPEN MY EYES THAT I MAY SEE
Open my eyes that I may see
glimpses of truth thou hast for me.
Place in my hands the wonderful key
that shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!
Open my ears that I may hear
voices of truth thou sendest clear,
and while the wave notes fall on my ear,
ev’rything false will disappear.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my ears, illumine me,
Spirit divine!
Open my mouth and let me bear
gladly the warm truth ev’rywhere.
Open my heart and let me prepare
love with thy children thus to share.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my mouth, illumine me,
Spirit divine!
LookingtoJesus 