The Truth Is Out There?

"And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32; NKJV)

If there's anything I've learned (and noticed) while serving the Lord is there is just a whole lot of mis-appropriation, application and interpretation of the Bible (God's Word).

Take for instance the above verse. How many of you have heard, "And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make (set) you free"? Have you heard that quoted? Rarely is it spoken of, referred to in it's context (immediate and/or in view of the entirety of the Scriptures). Usually, it's stated randomly ~ like somehow the truth is "out there" (kind of like Fox Mulder looking for extra-terrestrial life in the X-Files) and it'll somehow find you (the truth, not aliens) via some sort of new age cosmic osmosis.

The Bible says nothing of the sort.

If we would know the truth that makes us free, there's only one way for that to happen. It's actually a conditional promise whereby a condition must first be met for the result to take place. That condition is found in the verse prior to "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." That verse is John 8:31 where Jesus says, "If you abide (or continue) in My word, you are My disciples indeed." (John 8:31; NKJV) Then and only then comes: "And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make (set) you free." Do you see that? "If you abide in My word" comes first.

Abiding in Christ's Word ~ it's equal to abiding in Jesus Himself. (John 15:4) And it's the proof that we are His disciples. "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed." "Abiding" is an initial transaction (the salvation experience) and then an ongoing progression (the sanctification process). It includes not only the intake (reading the Bible, studying and meditating on it, etc), but the outworking ~ the living out in our lives what the Scripture says (what God tells us to do or not do).

Let me say it again. Then and only then (with the "abiding" in place) comes: "And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make (set) you free."