In John 18:38. Pilate asks a question in talking with Jesus… the question is ‘What is truth?’ It is a question that many people are searching for an answer to today. The scriptures record that Pilate did not wait around to hear what Jesus’ response would be. Now if you were to ask this question today, depending on who you ask, you will get a large number of differing responses or opinions. Even among church-folk. Some people will say simply that the Bible is truth; and there is nothing wrong with that answer, though it’s generic. There are some today who believe that the Law is the truth that balances out Grace, as if Grace and truth are counter-measures for each-other; even though the scriptures say in John 1:17 that Grace and Truth go together and both came by Jesus Christ.
What we will be studying today is what real Biblical truth is, the way that Jesus defines it. In seeing His own divine descriptions of truth, we will get a better understanding and revelation of Him and how as He Himself said ‘the truth will make us free’.
Let’s start by reading John 8:31-32:
“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed;
And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
There are several things to note in these two verses. The first of which being who Jesus was speaking to. Verse 31 makes mention that Jesus was addressing those Jews which believed on Him. This is important because it’s going to help us understand what follows and also show us something beneficial.
You may have heard it stated before, that “Grace is good, we are saved by grace and all; but there also needs to be truth!” – people often use this argument as a way of reintroducing condemnation and legalism back into the lives of people, and manage to accuse the Gospel of the Grace of God as being something other than the truth while they are doing it, too!
However, look at what the verse says and notice the details in it. Jesus was addressing the Jews, specifically those who believe on Him, but they were Jews. These were people who already had the Law. A Jewish child begins memorizing the Torah at the earliest age possible. So not only did they have the Law, they were well versed in it. Yet it was specifically those Jews who believed on Him, that Jesus said “if you continue in My word, then you are My disciples indeed”. It’s very interesting that Jesus is only addressing those that believe on Him.
He then continues on to say that those Jews that believe on Him shall know the truth, and the truth shall make them free. Now wait a second… they were Jews, they already knew the Law. Yet here, Jesus says, you shall know the truth. So what then is this truth that they shall know?
Well, these verses are part of a dialog that Jesus was having with the Jews, and for the pivotal part of the conversation, jump up to verses 23-24:
“And he said to them, You are from beneath; I am from above: you are of this world; I am not of this world.
I said therefore to you, that you shall die in your sins: for if you believe not that I am he, you shall die in your sins.”
This truth is vital. Notice that Jesus said that you will die in your sins, unless you believe that I am He. He did not say unless you work hard, try your best to keep the law you will die in your sins… No, He said if you do not believe that I am He, then you will die in your sins. The truth of Christ is not a truth about works, laws or merit of ourselves, but it is the truth of Jesus, the Savior, the Messiah come down from Heaven to save those who are lost and dying and to give to all who believe on Him eternal life.
Go back to verses 31 and 32 now, because there is another detail to see here. In verse 31 we see that small little word “on”… they believed on Him. You see, this is different than believing in Jesus. Plenty of people believe in Jesus in that He exists – even the demons believe in Jesus, and tremble. (James 2:19). However to believe on Jesus is a different matter altogether! To believe on Jesus is to make Him your foundation. He is the One supporting you, He is the One upholding you, He is the one you are trusting in for everything! To know that you are safe and secure on His hands and you are firmly rooted and grounded in Him! That is what it means to believe on Jesus, versus just believing in Him that He exists. And I humbly submit to you, that very few people have that kind of relationship with Jesus today. This is why Jesus said in verse 31 that if you continue in My word, then you are my disciple indeed.
To continue in His word is to hold onto that truth. To exist in that truth, to live your very life around that truth and to be embraced by that truth: That Jesus is everything to you. That He has worked a complete and finished work for your entire life, and everything you could ever need is supplied by Him as your provider. That when you are feeling unloved, or you are feeling the effects of loneliness, you can rest in the truth of Christ that dear child of God, you are not unloved – far from it, the very love of God was demonstrated to you that Christ came into the world, leaving His Heavenly throne and died in your place that you would live through Him (1st John 4:9).
To continue in His word means that when you are feeling the effects of sickness in your body you are able to rest in the fact that Jesus Christ bore your sicknesses and carried your pains and by His stripes you are healed. To hold onto the fact that even in the face of various symptoms, God is still to you YHVH Rapha, the LORD your Healer; and to not waiver from that fact.
To continue in His word means that when you seem to have more month than money and bills are piling up, you are able to rest in the fact that because of the finished work of Jesus Christ, and the fact that He who was rich, for your sake become poor that you through His poverty would be made rich (2nd Corinthians 8:9) and that God to you is YHVH Yireh, the LORD your provider.
These things are not make-believe… they are not just wishful thinking, or nice imaginations to help you “get by in the tough times” – No, these are your realities in Christ. These things are part of His word, truth for you to continue in and hold on to. And this truth of Christ, when you really know it, it will make you free, just as Jesus said it would.. The word “know” used there for you shall know the truth. Is a common Jewish idiom for intimate sexual intercourse. The first time that the particular Greek word is used, is in Matthew 1:25, when the scriptures say that Joseph did not know Mary until after she gave birth to Jesus. This fact is important because this tells us that the truth of Jesus Christ should be an intimate part of the very core of our being – we should be one with the truth of Christ, unable to be separated from it.
This is how you grow. The more you see of Jesus, the more you see of how awesome He is and what He has done for you. Then the more you see how weak you truly are in yourself… and you see your weakness, joined together with His perfect strength, and when you have that revelation… and you see how much He truly loves you, and that He has done all of this for you, then that revelation of the truth of Christ, sets you free from absolutely every bondage.
So I encourage you today. Continue in His word of truth. Hold onto His word of life. It is the truth of the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ. And I close this study today with the words of the Apostle Paul to Timothy, in 1st Timothy 1:15-17:
“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
However, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Paul recognized that he was the chief of sinners. He knew there was no good in himself, but even in that he was shown the love and mercy and kindness of God as a pattern for those who would hereafter believe on Jesus Christ to life everlasting. And notice that the verse does not say to believe on Jesus for life everlasting – but it says to life everlasting. See, everlasting life is the end result of believing in Christ, and we all will be there one day. But we believe on Christ now for all things now as well… and we continue in His word all the way into eternity.
Do you see the beauty in the scriptures? Do you see the all-encompassing love and power and Grace of our LORD Jesus Christ? Remain in His word, be embraced by His love, know His truth and be free.