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(1) BACKGROUND
Jesus makes another remarkable quotation in John 8:36, after saying “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).
Before jumping into the context, it might be good to revisit Part 1 of verse by verse bible reading here.
Scripture reference:-
| John 8:31-37 AMPC 31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” 34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word. (John 8:31-37) |
(2) RECAP ON PART 1
A quick recap on Part 1 is that for believers to know and be set free by the truth, they have to hold fast and live according to Jesus’ teaching. Then, they are truly God’s disciples and shall then know the truth. With that, they are being set free from sin, bondage, or slavery.
It is not just by proclaiming His word and doing nothing. It is the “doing” that sets them free. “Doing” has its place in setting Christians free in life from slavery.
Next, those who believed in Jesus’ teaching in verses 30-31 are those who argued with Jesus in the following verses.
With that, Jesus embarks into another well-known quotation in verse 36, saying ” So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed”. Nevertheless, this verse cannot be read independently. It has to be read within its context.
Contradicting to many modern teachings, using vs. 36 independently and said, anyone who put their faith in Jesus, all their sins and bondages shall be set free. But this is not what is being recorded in John 8.
Jesus continues His argument with those who are so-called believers in the following:-
| John 8:43-44 AMPC 43 Why do you misunderstand what I say? It is because you are unable to hear what I am saying. [You cannot bear to listen to My message; your ears are shut to My teaching.] 44 You are of your father, the devil, and it is your will to practice the lusts and gratify the desires [which are characteristic] of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a falsehood, he speaks what is natural to him, for he is a liar [himself] and the father of lies and of all that is false. (John 8:43-44) |
Jesus doesn’t say that by putting their faith in Him, they are being set free from all bondages in John 8’s account. Indeed, Jesus rebukes those “Believers” (vs. 30-31), should they (continue) to practice lusts, murder, and speak falsehood, they are belonging to the father of the devil.
(3) QUESTION
Why are they belonging to the devil?
Jesus explains in verse 43 as:-
# Their ears are shut to His teaching.
If that is not enough, verse 47 is saying;
| John 8:47 AMP 47 Whoever is of God listens to God. [Those who belong to God hear the words of God.] This is the reason that you do not listen [to those words, to Me]: because you do not belong to God and are not of God or in harmony with Him. (John 8:47) |
The keyword of the above verse is “Listen”.
(4) CONCLUSION
It is one thing to believe in Jesus. But it is another to carry out His teaching by not living a sinful, slave life. Should a believer be living in habitual sin, he does not belong to Him. This is in line with verse 35 which says “Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.” (AMPC).
Last but not least, it is good for Christians to read and understand the context of a verse-by-verse bible reading. It is not right to keep jumping from one book to another and from one verse to another; in paraphrasing its meanings
REFERENCE:
THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE: PART 1
KNOW THE TRUTH- PART 2 (IF THE SON SET YOU)
