Truth that Sets You Free

Truth that Sets You Free
Words of Faith 11-9-16
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2016
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
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John
[30] Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him.
[31] To the Jews who had believed him, 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."
[33] They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"
[34] 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. [37] I know you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word. [38] I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence, and you do what you have heard from your father."
[39] "Abraham is our father," they answered.
"If you were Abraham's children," said Jesus, "then you would do the things Abraham did. [40] As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. [41] You are doing the things your own father does."

What is the test of a true believer? How will we know if we have really come to saving faith in Jesus? Many put their “faith” in Jesus but the real test of this faith was twofold: Perseverance and Freedom.
Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.” There is a common delusion that if a person has a brief emotional experience with Jesus that this is “salvation” even if there is no change in that person’s life. Jesus says clearly that genuine faith will be marked by perseverance, which holds to the teaching of Jesus.
This does not mean that we will walk perfectly, but there will be a process of sanctification (becoming like more like Jesus) in which we hold more and more to the teaching of Jesus. We will see more and more of the power of the Spirit in our lives as we are conformed to His image.
“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." The second mark that Christ is in our life follows from the first. As we walk in the truth of Jesus, we will find freedom. As unredeemed sinners we are slaves to sin. We have no choice but to sin because sin is our master. But Jesus sets us free from such bondage.
This is not pretend freedom. It is not theoretical freedom. It is real freedom. We are free indeed. A person who is saved CAN still sin but they no longer HAVE to sin. Sin is not longer our master. Sin becomes our choice when resist the Spirit and choose to walk after our flesh.
The freedom Jesus is talking about is different from a “religious identity”. Jesus pointed out that His listeners all had a religious heritage in Abraham yet they did not adhere to life and example of Abraham. Abraham would never have sought to kill Jesus because of a disturbing teaching. So it is not a religious heritage or label that saves us. It is the truth.
The truth of Jesus sets us free. We cannot lean on saying “Abraham is my father” or “I was raised in the denomination” or “I was baptized into that Christian church”. None of this matters. The only thing that matter is this: Have you heard the Truth of Jesus and been set free from sin? Are you walking in that freedom?

Father I give thanks for sending Your Son Jesus to set me free. I pray for Your Holy Spirit to empower me to walk with Jesus today. Let me walk in freedom from sin. Let me walk in faith and obedience. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2002, 2016
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2010 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.