John 8:31-59 YE SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH There is a saying, "There are none so blind, as those who will not see." Those are the kinds of people the Lord Jesus Christ was speaking to in the great debate He had with the Jews who felt their position and prestige was being threatened by the works and teaching of the Lord Jesus. There are those who follow only, and there are those who follow and learn. True disciples are the latter. True believers are those who hear God's word, believe God's word and continue on in the practice of God of God's word in their lives. Those people have been saved by God's grace and appreciate what He says because they know Him and love Him. They know they have been delivered from the control and consequences of sin. They walk in the light because they are children of the day and want to avoid the pitfalls and snares that are laid for them in the darkness. More than that, they are led by the Holy Spirit in the ways of God and they want, and welcome, that guidance rather than wanting their independent self-control. God's word confirms our salvation. We are not left to speculate on our position nor on our future. The word of God assures us that the situations we meet in life are under God's control whether they be easy or difficult. Our forgiveness of sins is confirmed by the word of God. That source of truth makes us free.
When there is freedom in Christ, the attempts to bring us into the bondage of sin does not have dominion over us. We are not immune from the attacks of the world, the flesh and the devil, but these enemies do not have the power to control us. We know that these enemies will try to deceive and defeat the believer by subtlety and temptation. When there is bondage, a person is under the control and authority of another. People can get so used to sin; they think that is normal living. That bondage is evident when people are dishonest, irreverent toward God and holy things, and mock those who walk in the light of life. The Jews who were challenging Jesus were in bondage to Rome and for generations had been in bondage to foreign powers, and yet said they were never in bondage to any man. Perhaps they thought they were unbowed and unbroken in their national spirit, but they didn't realize they were in a far greater bondage to Satan.
A slave is never sure of where he will live or what will become of him. He may have a measure of freedom and think that is all freedom means. He may know his parentage but is not able to live in the blessings of his early life because sin has come into his life and has caused defeat. When we sin, we are in bondage to sin. The Lord Jesus was very plain when He identified the difference between a slave and a son. A son feels at home in his father's house. A son is free indeed because all the father has is his. The Lord Jesus Christ was a Son in His Father's house forever. There are no strings attached that makes Him a Son, because He is the eternal Son of the eternal Father and has the same nature as the Father. The Son has no question as to His parentage no matter what kind of slur those who opposed Him laid on Him, trying to cast a reflection on His origin. The Son talks and acts like the Father and the Father is delighted with the Son.
Family characteristics are passed on to those who are in Christ by virtue of the divine nature He has imparted to us. Those who spoke against the Lord Jesus Christ did not have the seed of faith Abraham had. The Lord called them children of the devil because they had the characteristics of Satan. They were plotting to murder Jesus, and the devil was a murderer from the beginning. They were lying and dishonest and would not listen to God, and the devil is a liar and the father of lies. He would not listen to God, and seeks to blind the minds of people lest the light of the Gospel shines into the dark hearts of sinners and God saves them. All of those traits in the people who were opposing Jesus comes from Satan's seed, not Abraham's seed. As a true Son, the Lord Jesus Christ wanted to honor His Father and see Him honored by others. Jesus sought honor for the Father from those who are disciples indeed.
It is a blessing when sons can appreciate and honor their fathers, and what they hear and learn from true fathers, they can act upon. They trust the words of instruction their fathers give. Words refer to what is taught. Those who pay no attention to the words of teaching from God's word are not sons of God. Speech refers to the words themselves. Those people did not understand Jesus' speech because they had no intention of hearing with faith in His words and doing what He taught. They did not understand what He was talking about when He spoke of living bread, living water, the light of life and similar expressions of truth. Sinful minds seek ways to express their opposition to the truth of God. Those who love God, love the truth. Abraham rejoiced in what he knew by faith because he loved God, obeyed God and demonstrated his faith in his life. When Jesus told those who were debating with Him that Abraham rejoiced to see the day He would be here, with scorn they verbalized their attitude against the Lord Jesus Christ. When Jesus plainly stated His deity and eternal existence in the words of truth and dignity, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM;" they knew He was again identifying Himself as God. The Son of God was right there before them and they maliciously rejected Him with murder in their hearts.
The One who true disciples follow, the One who reveals the truth that liberates the souls of men and brings us into the light of life, has made it possible for us to know the truth. What a privilege it is to be free to know the truth and follow Him without the trappings of mans' religious ideas and the bondage of sin tying us to the god of this world. Freedom and a full, abundant life are the heritage of those who have been born into the family of God. We enjoy the blessings of that inheritance now and will be continually marveling at the abundance of all that is ours because of the exceeding riches of God's grace bestowed on us.
John 8: “Continue” – persevere IN MY WORD, Jn.8:31 - disciples indeed; free indeed IN MY LOVE, Jn.15:9 – glorify the Father; bear fruit IN THE GRACE OF GOD, Acts13:43 – the spiritual work begun IN THE FAITH, Acts 14:22; Col.1:23 – in spite of difficulties IN WITNESSING, Acts 26:22 – to the Gospel: [1] the privilege of the real witness – know, 1Jn.5 [2] the power of the real witness – the Holy Spirit, Acts 1:8 [3] the personal testimony of the real witness [4] the progress of the real witness – wait, receive [5] the presentation of the real witness – bold, fervent, courageous IN HIS GOODNESS, Rom.11:22 – in picking us up who were “nobodies.” IN THE GOSPEL, Gal.2:5 – in spite of opposition IN FELLOWSHIP, Phil.1:25 – with other believers IN PRAYER, Col.4:2 – specific, thankful, intercessory IN DOCTRINE, 1Tim.4:16 – save yourself and others by teaching IN WHAT WE LEARNED FROM OTHERS, 2Tim.3:14 – learn their wisdom from their experiences IN BROTHERLY LOVE, Heb.13:1 – meeting needs IN THE SON AND THE FATHER, 1Jn.2:24 – when first love and first fruits remain a part of us
John 9: Confession of what one knows
“I am” of personality, v.9 “I went” of obedience, v.11 “I received” of blessing, v.12 “I know not” of ignorance, v.12 “I washed” of cleansing, v.15 “I know” of experience, v. 25 “I see” of sight, v.25 “I have told you” of emphasis, v.27 “I might” of desire, v.36 “I believe” of faith, v.38