Daily Devotional – Wednesday, November 29, 2023
And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 8:32 (NKJV)
First-century Jews were a bitter lot. The colonialist Romans imposed their laws and demanded taxes from God’s people. Roman soldiers oppressed and brutalized the Jews. The only real freedom the latter had was the right to worship in the temple and synagogues.
The Truth Shall Set You Free
Despite that, the Jews still proudly considered themselves free people (read John 8:33). That is why the Jews got irritated when Jesus told them, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32).
Jesus must have disappointed many of His disciples—those who believed that, as the Messiah, He had come to lead a military revolt against the Romans. How could they fight and win such a formidable foe with the truth, whatever that meant?
I am the Truth
What many did not fathom was that Jesus was here on a different kind of emancipation mission. Worse than Roman oppression is slavery to sin. From the incident in Eden, Satan had shackled human beings in the darkness of rebellion against God.
Jesus is the Truth (read John 14:6), the only weapon that frees the soul from its stupor and gives it power to unshackle itself. Only when we meet with Jesus do we realize how deeply we have sunk in transgression and how desperately we need Him.
Are You Really Free?
Like the Jews in Christ’s era, we long for freedom from physical and material restrictions like jail, disease, debts, addictions, abusive relationships, and so on. Jesus, though, has a much better offer. Not only is He able and willing to free us from material bondage, but He longs to emancipate us from the control of Satan and sin.
If you are not free from the debilitating influence of sin, you are not free at all. Invite Jesus into your life and experience the freedom and peace that come from being forgiven and restored. Why should you remain in bondage with Satan and sin when Jesus (the Truth) can set you free now?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, come into my heart. Forgive my sins, and give me the only freedom that lasts forever.
Amen! when the son sets us free, we shall be free indeed.
Amen, Doc.