The Truth Shall Set you Free!

There is a scripture that we Christians really love to throw around as if it should solve the unbelievers' and in some cases, believers' problems. 

John 8:32

"And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free."

Sounds good, right?  Many people tend to forget to mention what comes before the "and."

John 8:31

31 - Then Jesus said to the Jews that believed on Him, If you continue in My Word, you are my disciples indeed.

So now we end up with a conditional statement.  IF we continue in His word then we are His disciples.  We must keep His Word, and His commandments.  If we keep His Word and don't continue in our sinful nature then the truth shall be revealed to us...and we will be set free from the bondage our sin has kept us in.  HOWEVER...........





Knowing the jailer has the keys to the cell we are in doesn't change the fact that we remain in jail.  Now, replace the keys for the "truth" in the analogy.  Knowing someone has the truth, speaks the truth...IS THE TRUTH...doesn't mean our cell door has been unlocked or that we are free! 

Now is the time, Body of Christ, we must look for the sheep in wolve's clothing that are twisting the truth of Jesus Christ and keeping the people of God in bondage.

2 Timothy 4:1-4

1 - Therefore I solemnly witness before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who is going to judge the living and the dead according to His appearance and His kingdom,
2 - preach the Word, be instant in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine.
3 - For a time will be when they will not endure sound doctrine, but they will heap up teachers to themselves according to their own lusts, tickling the ear.
4 - And they will turn away their ears from the truth and will be turned to myths.

We must be so very careful, Body of Christ, what we are paying attention to.  There are teachers that have been lifted up in the Body of Christ that sound good.  They teach things that make us feel good.  They are good 'motivational speakers.'  They want to teach us "Kingdom Economics."  They reduce God to cliches.  "Let go and let God."  "Be blessed and highly favored."  "I have what my Bible says I have."  "Just speak it and God will give it." And there are so very many more.  They tickle our ears... They present us with myths as though they were the truth.  They are presenting "other doctrines"....strange doctrines that are designed to distract and defeat.  What a very clever tactic of the enemy to disarm the People of God. 

In my mind...because I have a vivid imagination...I keep picturing the Body of Christ as a hippy commune with love and peace music flowing through the PA system.  Everyone is seated around a dying campfire arms linked and intertwined, eyes closed swaying to the music while being lulled to sleep.  What better way to sneak into an enemy camp....

The Body of Christ seems to have ceased to endure sound doctrine.  We are called to be ready to preach the Word in season and out of season.  Whether it is popular or not...whether it is a convenient time or not.

There is a song we used to sing when I was growing up.  It was one of my favorites...it still is:

"Awake O Israel, put off thy slumber and the truth shall set you free!  For out of Zion comes your Deliverer in the Year of Jubilee!"

We must awake and come out from under the lullaby of false teachings that appeal to our senses and to our lusts and covetousness, but do not provide anything to sustain us.  We need to remember we are a royal priesthood; a chosen generation; a holy nation; a people for possession...to speak His praises.  (1 Peter 2:9)  The time is now to come out and be separate.