Set Free

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Truth

The truth will set you free.

This saying of Jesus appears sometimes on its own, and whether or not truth is inherently freeing we must remember that Jesus wasn’t making an abstract philosophical point.

The Lord’s statement has a bit more to it:

“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31b-32)

No amount of study or intellectual effort brings us the truth that frees; that truth comes only by means of discipleship, following the Lord – and discipleship is found only in clinging to Christ and keeping His teaching.

And if we hold to His teaching, if we embrace true discipleship, what truth do we come to know?  What is the truth that sets us free?

It is the true knowledge of God and His salvation.  He is the truest and deepest reality, and knowledge of Him – not merely knowledge about Him, but experiential knowledge of a personal relationship with God that comes by abiding faith in Christ – is the deepest truth.  This is the truth that brings the deepest freedom, spiritual freedom from slavery in sin.

Hold fast to Christ.

His Glory, Our Glory

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Glory, God

God is glorious.

Because God is glorious, there is a glory to the people of God.  David underlines this so well when he rejoices in the uniqueness of God and the unique privilege of God’s people Israel:

“There is no one like you, O LORD, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.  And who is like your people Israel – the one nation on earth whose God went out to redeem a people for himself, and to make a name for yourself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt?  You made your people Israel your very own forever, and you, O LORD, have become their God.” (1 Chronicles 17:20-22)

In contrast to all our vanity, there stands the proper place for self-understanding – gratitude and awe at how richly we’ve been blessed.  God is glorious because of who He is; we are glorious because we belong to Him and are found in Christ.  God is unique by nature; we are unique by adoption, the favored children of God.

Who is like you, Almighty Lord?  And who is like the people you have bought for yourself by the blood of the Lamb?  You have redeemed us for yourself, conquering death and Satan and offering the water of eternal life to all who believe.

There is no one like you, O Lord.