OUR REAL FREEDOM
YOU WILL KNOW THE TRUTH AND THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE
John 8:31
The US was once a British colony. It was on 4th July 1776, when Congress signed the Declaration of Independence of the United States, thereby giving freedom to the country from British rule. Thus, 4th July marks the Independence Day of the US.
The first Americans brought with them from Britain a religion and a belief in God. Our paper money was printed with the phrase “In God We Trust”. Churches were part of the American way of life.
Gradually we have replaced “In God, We Trust” with “In Me and My Stuff I Trust”
The further we get away from God, the closer we get to being slaves to our own
Selfish desires.
True freedom does not rest with our Declaration Of independence or phases that
Have lost their meaning, but with a commitment and devotion to God, evidenced
By our obedience to His commands.
John 8:31-32
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.\”
Lets consider two words; TRUTH AND FREEDOM
WHAT IS THE TRUTH?
The definition of truth in Webster\’s 1828?
TRUTH, noun. 1. Conformity to fact or reality; exact accordance with that which is, or has been, or shall be. The truth of history constitutes its whole value. We rely on the truth of the scriptural prophecies.
God’s definition of truth goes far beyond the world’s definition.
You can’t mix God’s Word with worldly definitions.
What Does God say about truth?
GOD IS TRUTH
Psalms 31:5-6
Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O Lord, the God of truth.
THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH
John 16:13-14
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. THE HOLY SPIRIT
THE WAY OF TRUTH
John 14:6-7
6 Jesus answered, \”I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
WORD IS TRUTH
John 17:17-18
Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
WHAT WE SHOULD DO?
WALK IN THE TRUTH
Psalms 86:11
Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth.
Pilate asks Jesus this question in John 18:38. \”What is truth?\”
According to Matthew Henry\’s commentary, the truth comes from God,
The truth both heals and nourishes the hearts of those who receive it.
When we know the truth about something, we can begin the process of healing and growth. Truth has a nourishing effect, because God\’s words, the voice of truth, restore and replenish the hearts of men.
Gospel truth frees us from the yoke of the ceremonial law and the more grievous burdens of the traditions of the elders.
The truth frees us from our spiritual enemies; Satan and his demons
The truth frees us in the service of God,
The truth frees to be the privileges of sons.
The truth enslaves and entangles the soul, and frees it from the dominion of lust and passion; and restores the soul to the government of itself, by reducing it into obedience to its Creator.\”
What Is Knowing the Truth?
We are given two important pieces of information about this freeing truth:
- Claiming belief is not the same thing as knowing the truth.
- Knowing the truth is dependent upon “really” being a disciple of Christ and walking in obedience.
The first step to being set free is to not simply know the truth but to believe and obey it.
Second, the truth” is more than knowledge about Christ; it is Christ Himself.
Then you will know Me, and I will set you free. To know Jesus is to know the truth of the Gospel.
WHAT IS FREEDOM?
Definition of freedom
1: the quality or state of being free: such as
a: the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action
b: liberation from slavery or restraint or from the power of another : INDEPENDENCE
We live in a world where many people believe freedom is the right to do whatever they want, subject to no governing authority outside of their own desires.
To do what you want to do is not freedom, it is slavery. To do what
You want to do is to be a slave to the devil or a slave to Christ.
You have a choice.
There are many aspects that make up true freedom
WHAT THE ASPECTS OF TRUE FREEDOM?
FREEDOM FROM IGNORANCE
Not knowing the truth which the Word, is ignorance.
1 Peter 2:15-17
For it is God\’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. 16 Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.
FREE FROM DARKNESS
Darkness is absent of the light of Jesus.
Acts 26:17-18
I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.\’
FREE FROM THE PENALTY OF SIN
John 8:34-37
Jesus replied, \”I tell you the truth, 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.
John Piper elaborates on this slavery: “First, sin enslaves us by producing compelling desires…And the second way, sin enslaves us is that it eventually damns us…Jesus alone can free us from these two kinds of slavery: the domination and damnation of sin.”
The freedom Jesus is talking about is not political, not even physical freedom, but spiritual freedom.
FREEDOM FROM DEATH
Our sin nature means we have sinful desires that claim our attention and govern our decisions—desires that will ultimately lead to physical and spiritual death. There is no freedom on that path; any liberty we think we have is an illusion meant to discourage us from seeking the real freedom that only Christ can give.
Romans 6:9-10
Death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
FREEDOM FROM SATISFYING THE LAW
Galatians 3:11-13
Clearly, no one is justified before God by the law, because, \”The righteous will live by faith.\” 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, \”The man who does these things will live by them.\” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: \”Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.\”
FREEDOM TO SERVE GOD AND TO PLEASE HIM
Deuteronomy 10:12-13
Serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to observe the Lord\’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?
FREEDOM FROM ANGER
Ephesians 4:26-28
\”In your anger do not sin\”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.
(To be angry is to live someone else’s story,
To let the anger go is to write your own story)
FREEDOM FROM ENVY
1 Corinthians 13:4
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy
FREEDOM FROM WORRY
Matthew 6:33-34
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
FREEDOM FROM FEAR
2 Timothy 1:7-8
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Romans 8:15-16
For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, \”Abba, Father.\”
FREEDOM FROM ETERNAL DEATH
John 5:24-25
24 \”I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.
FREEDOM FROM THE LIES OF THE WORLD
By believing In God
John 8:44-45
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father\’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!
FREEDOM TO FORGIVE
Matthew 6:14-15
14 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
FREEDOM FROM THE DECEPTIONS OF THE WORLD
2 Corinthians 4:2-3
Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man\’s conscience in the sight of God.
FREEDOM TO LOVE
Matthew 22:37-39
37 Jesus replied: \”\’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.\’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.
DON’T GIVE UP GOD’S TRUTH AND FREEDOM FOR THE WORLD’S
WAYS
CLASS EXERCISE
- BASED ON WHAT YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU
DEFINE TRUTH?
- HOW DO YOU LIVE IN TRUTH?
- BASED ON WHAT YOU KNOW. HOW DO YOU
DEFINE FREEDOM?
- HOW DO YOU LIVE AS FREE CITIZENS OF GOD?
