Freedom

One of the great desires that man has sought for throughout his history has been the quest for freedom. There is not, in my opinion, a desire rooted any deeper in the soul of man than this desire for freedom from bondages of any kind. Jesus gives us a promise for freedom. For those who believe upon Him, continue or abide in His Word, and discipline their lives after what He has spoken, they will know the truth and will experience freedom in every area of their lives. Believing is quite easy. All it takes is a decision to accept as truth what one hears.
Though Jesus adds to this, the Bible uses the word faith, which comes from the
word “pistis” meaning a firm persuasion based upon what one hears. Believing then, is coming to a conclusion as to whether something is true. Then deciding to act upon what it declares as a matter of faith, trust, and conduct.

But Jesus requires more than believing words and especially as it relates to the subject of freedom. He requires us to discipline our lives around His teaching in order for us to experience this promised freedom we all desire. To continue in His Word is to abide in it. The word abide is “mone” which means to abide as one who is at home in his environment. It is to dwell in the Word in the same way we dwell in our houses we live in. It is "dwelling in" the Word as when one is at home in their dwelling. This is not making casual reference to the Scriptures or for that matter, making a commitment to them in times of crisis. It is making it a place of sweet fellowship with Jesus because we seek to spend time with Him around the table of fellowship.

After believing in and disciplining our lives through spending time in the Word, we then are able to know the truth and not before. The word for know is “ginosko” meaning to know by virtue of what is conveyed within the context of a personal relationship. This is not a knowledge that comes through acquiring information but knowledge that comes through spending time in fellowship with the one from whom knowledge is desired.

In other words, Jesus wants to impart truth that is an outcome of His fellowship with us. This is not truth that is acquired by virtue of information gathered through a variety of means, but knowing the person of Jesus Christ. This truth that comes, comes from Jesus because He imparts it to us. Though acquiring truth is a necessary function of discipleship, we do not get this radically changing knowledge through study, but we are given this knowledge after we take what we study and meditate upon it in our quiet time in fellowship with Him. Truth which leads to a radical change in our attitude and conduct, releases the power of freedom into our lives. It comes through personal fellowship time with Jesus Christ. To know truth is to know Jesus in a personal way.