30 September | EVERYONE
“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’” John 8: 31, 32
Before returning to the Father, when He was still with His disciples, Jesus prayed for them, saying, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth" (John 17:17). This prayer confirmed a lifestyle that He had taught them earlier, which is shown in today's verse.
According to this statement, true disciples of Jesus abide in His teachings. They do not remember them sporadically but make them part of their daily experience. They are a constant reality. The purpose of this permanence is to live in the truth and to be free. On more than one occasion, the Master connected the truth with His Word.
Truth is neither abstract nor relative. If it were relative, there would be many truths. Each one could have their own truth, and then it would cease to be permanent. It would become a successive parade of particular ideas. But from Jesus' point of view, truth is an absolute value, grounded in the Word of an absolute and eternal God. It is Christ-centered.
"The truth separates man from his sins, from his hereditary and cultivated tendencies to wrongdoing. The soul that cherishes the love of Christ is full of freedom, light, and joy" (Ellen G. White, Reflecting Christ, p. 114).
God is the God of truth. In Him, there is no passing gloom, no shadow of variation. Truth is the light that illuminates everyone but illuminates only those who accept it. Truth is like the crystal-clear water of a fountain of love that comes to Earth washing the human soul and purifying their intentions. It comes with the freedom to choose whom to serve, so as not to continue to be enslaved by preconceptions and false truths that crawl like poisonous snakes trying to destroy and kill.
Take Action
Are you willing to be absolutely free? The way is to know Jesus, the Truth (see John 14:6) and abide in Him all the time. Sing "The Truth Shall Make You Free" (if possible, with your family).