The Truth WIll Set You Free

Jesus said it: "The truth will set you free." While He had in mind for the occasion a specific truth for a specific freedom (I will be teaching on that passage from John 8 on July 6), there is a reason that this is a much quoted adage, even by those who don't know it came from Jesus. That reason? Well, because it's--how else can you say it?--TRUE!

For instance, we are often in bondage to our lies. We make up a lie to get out of trouble or simply to avoid embarrassment, and then we end up telling another lie to cover up the first one. We may give slightly different versions to different people, and then we have a problem keeping our stories straight. Besides, we have the inner turmoil of knowing we are not doing the right thing. Being committed to the truth sets us free from such stresses.

We are often in bondage to misconceptions. Someone else may put a guilt trip on us or manipulate us in some way. We fight against feelings of inadequacy, failure, false guilt, etc. When we finally see the truth clearly, what a rush of relief! We are free!

Jesus was committed to truth, and while the truth sets you free, those who don't know the truth or won't see the truth often fight against the truth--and the truth-tellers. Jesus was caught in such positions often. Many people seem to see life from a skewed perspective and interpret everything from that perspective. They think they know the truth--to the detriment of themselves and others.

Jesus often found himself walking what we might think was a middle course between such people. On one hand, we would see Him challenging the hard-heartedness of the Pharisees, who always looked down on those they considered "sinners." He considered them legalistic hypocrites. On the other hand, Jesus was never soft on sin itself. Instead, he preached forgiveness and change (repentance). He never condoned or advocated continuing in sinful behavior. He eschewed both legalism and license.

While Jesus indeed walked a middle ground in such instances, it would be a mistake to simply label Him as a "middle-of-the-roader." Some folks make this mistake. They think since they see Jesus as a moderate--somewhere between legalism and license--that being a moderate is the a philosophy for living life. But Jesus was not committed to a philosophy of moderation. He was committed to TRUTH.

You can miss the truth on either side. That's why the truth almost always seems to be a middle position. It's not. The truth is the truth. You can just miss it on either side. However you decide to label those positions is irrelevant. If you are travelling on a straight and narrow road, you can fall into the ditch on either the right or the left. We must be careful that we are not so afraid of the left ditch that we swerve too far too the right! (Or vice versa.) And that's a mistake too many make, in my opinion. (As an aside, it is interesting that in the Old Testament, it is often said that we should not go "to the left or the right" and good kings are described as "not going to the left or the right.")

Of course, a great question that you have no doubt already thought of in conjuction with this is, "What is truth?" (It's the same question that Pilate asked Jesus at His trial.) Variations are, "How do I know the truth?" and "What makes you think you know the truth?" Just how do we judge what it the truth?

Jesus obviously claimed to know the truth. He even claimed to be the truth--part of His claim to be the unique Son of God. In His prayer not long before Pilate asked the question, He had already answered it. He prayed, just before His arrest, that His Father would "sanctify" (or set apart) His followers by "the truth." Then He defined it for us: "Your word is truth." (See also the quote at the end to learn how to know the truth.)

Some today believe that truth is relative. In other words, something may be true for you but not for me. It may be true for one group but not for another. There may be a sense where that is correct--if we are loose with what we include as "truth." In other words, one product may relieve my headache but not yours. But that's not on the level of what we mean by TRUTH here. Truth, as we are speaking of it, is ultimate reality, what constitutes moral right and wrong, the meaning of life, etc. Jesus said that truth is not something we find through our own opinions; final truth is revealed to us by God. He is the judge of truth.

So don't be misled into thinking that truth comes from a political, theological, economic, or any other kind of philosphy. The question to ask when seeking to form an opinion on an issue, then, is not, "What is the conservative view?" or "What is the liberal view?" or "What is the moderate view?" but "What is God's view?"

On specific issues, His truth may line up with the idea of one "group" on one and another "group" on another. And that may mean you are labeled as part of a group--incorrectly. Or others may disdain you because you don't hold to the "party line" in every instance. But that's okay. You are not going to be judged by the "party" one day. No, you will stand before Jesus.

And that's the truth. So look to Him for His truth, and be prayerful and careful--and also a bit humble--in those areas in which you have to take the principles He gives and discern how best to apply them to a new situation.

Let's allow the truth giver to have the last word. Meditate on the relatively less known first part of this quote, and it will give you more insight into the well-known second part:

Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really by disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."