Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:32
Are we true disciples of Christ? People in the first century wanted to see and hear Jesus, but many of them were not true disciples of His. They wanted the bacon without the fat, in other words. Today our challenge is essentially the same. Are we true disciples of Jesus or are we just looking for life affirmation in the cult of Christianity?
Jesus tells the people who are following Him in John 8 they are really His disciples if they continue in His logos. What does that mean for us today? Many translations make this statement “abide in my word,” and therefore people think studying their Bibles makes them disciples. I like the NIV and NLT translations for being clearer with the idea of continue in my logos. The thought is really remain faithful to my teachings. Remember when Jesus said this there was no New Testament to study. People who followed Jesus simply heard His teachings and decided to put their faith in Him or not. It is really the same today. We see what Jesus teaches in Scripture and either decide to follow it or not. These followers are true disciples.
Following Jesus’ teaching means that we are acknowledging the truth of God. Truth is an interesting word here because the Greek word used means “unhidden.” It is translated truth because we understand Jesus opens the door for our understanding of God’s plan for humanity. The gospel is essentially God’s “unhidden” plan of salvation that comes from Jesus. The great thing about this truth is that it frees us from the burden of sin and death. God’s gospel is a chain- breaking truth that enables us to live without the onerous weight of sin that leads to death.
Jesus’ disciples follow the truth of God in the form of Jesus. We are the anointed one’s followers (Christ-ians). We remain faithful to the teachings of Jesus and accept the freedom and forgiveness offered by God through His Son. Let the truth set you free today!
Scripture: John 8:31,32
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