My Favorite Verses - Vol V (Feb 17 to Jun 17)

John 8:31-32 … To continue in His Word
(03/20/2017)
“If you continue in my Word … You will know the Truth,
and that Truth will set you free.” ~ Jesus (John 8:31b-32)
There are actually quite a few interesting Truths buried within this verse; a
verse spoken specifically to “the Jews who had believed in him” (John 8:31a) …
Consider the following: First, note that “continue in my Word” (sometimes
translated with the equally active “abide”) here means to actively emulate the core of
Jesus' teachings – meaning to actively live a life of selfless self-sacrificial Love
(see John 13:15-17, Matthew 7:21, Matthew 16:24, & Luke 8:4-15 et al) … Second,
note as well that “the Truth” to which Jesus is referring here is his Gospel -- his
“Good News”; namely, the Truth that Heaven is alive & well in every present
moment (see Matthew 10:7 – also Luke 17:20-21) and that its Bliss is accessible for
anyone who chooses to devoutly Love the Divine by selflessly Loving others (see
Matthew 24:12-14 – also Matthew 22:37-40) … Third, note additionally that the
phrase “set you free” (more accurately translated from the ancient Greek as “liberate
you”) refers to setting his followers free not only from their own sinful, self-fixated
instincts, but also from fear itself -- most potently from their innate fear of death
(the fear which keeps us all from self-sacrifice in the first place – see Hebrews 2:14-15).
And this makes perfect sense, for if the heavenly Father of Jesus Christ is perfect,
completely unconditional Love (1 John 4:8, Luke 6:36, Matthew 8:21-22 et al), and if
we are all to “become perfect as
the Father” (Matthew 5:48), and
if fear is the opposing force to
Love and thus prevents Love
from blossoming (1 John 4:18),
then we must indeed set aside
our fear before “the Truth [of
Love] can set [us] free” …
Fourth, it might be important
for conservative Christians to
consider the fact that – if the
Truth is indeed what sets us
free, then all that binds us (like
conservative religious dogma) or
constricts us (like evangelically
judgmental beliefs) cannot be
seen as the Truth!
Amen … Know that it is so.
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