We’ve all heard it.
Lot’s of people say it.
The truth will set you free!
But does it always happen?
Does the truth always set us free?
Why not?
It was, after all, Jesus who said that truth would set us free.
Surely – He didn’t lie, did He?
No – Jesus didn’t lie.
However – as you can see from the image at the top, Jesus also said more than just “The truth will set you free”.
These six words come from John, Chapter 8, Verse 32.
The entire verse, from the NIV, is –
John 8:32 “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
The first problem with “The truth will set you free”.
So – we see the first problem with telling someone that the truth will set them free.
They have to actually know the truth.
It sounds so obvious. But it’s not really all that easy to know the truth.
First – someone has to be willing to tell us the truth.
I’m guessing that if this truth – whatever it is – will set us free (from something), then there’s something hidden from us that keeping us captive.
Notice I said hidden. There’s a real good chance that we don’t even realize that we’re being held captive. If we knew that we were captive to someone or something – then we’d probably want to be free of it. And – if we were able – we’d make that a high priority to deal with. So maybe we don’t know.
Then, there’s always the very real possibility that we do know, but don’t want to stand up to that thing that’s holding us captive. Maybe we do know – but we’re afraid of it. So we hide from it. Ignore it. Pretend it doesn’t exist. And the last thing we want is for someone to come along and make us face the very thing that we’re trying to hide from.
Given that – how many people have friends that are willing to be so open as tell us the truth? Because if they know the truth, they also probably realize that we’re in “pretend mode” – hiding from ourselves. And since they know we don’t want to face our issues – they also know that we don’t want to know the truth behind those issues. And – they don’t want to lose us as friends – so they “pretend” as well – and nothing gets resolved.
The sad part is that the friendship is never the same when we’re all in pretend mode – it probably hasn’t been “real” anyway since at least one person has been pretending for a long time – and it will likely end badly because of all the pretending.
So what was accomplished with all that pretending? Extending a fake friendship for a period of time, during which everyone involved was miserable.
The second problem with “The truth will set you free”.
We saw that the first problem is that someone has to be willing to tell us the truth – in order for us to know the truth.
Assuming that someone even tells us – in order for us to even be willing to listen –
that person needs to tell us the truth in a way that won’t shut down our desire to listen.
Now that’s asking a lot.
You know how it is.
We don’t even want to admit the truth to ourselves. So why would we want to hear it from someone else?
The “truth” (pun intended) is that we don’t want to hear it.
So telling it to us in a manner that we’ll listen is a tough balancing act.
Many people have an idea that shouting the “truth” in our faces is the way to go. Louder is better. If it’s loud enough, we can’t avoid it.
Yeah – right. Like when we’ve tried that on other people – how often has it worked?
So why do we think it’s all of a sudden going to work on someone else when it’s never worked on us?
And when we get to the ultimate Truth – the Word of God – the Bible – it gets even tougher.
A while back, I did an Alpha Course. One of the images included in the chapter on telling others is the one below –
Now that’s a great way to not do it!
It’s the church equivalent of shouting.
And it’s not real effective.
And yet – it’s done.
Even though it fails.
Maybe it did work for someone – but Jesus is about love – not scaring His followers.
Which begs the question –
How did Jesus tell the truth?
This gets down to the core of the problem.
We are not Jesus.
He was able to do something that we can’t.
In him there’s a perfect balance of grace and truth. He speaks the truth and he demonstrates grace at the same time. In fact, though grace and truth are both listed together, I find it interesting that the Word places grace first. Notice the order! The truth is there, but it’s wrapped in grace. He convicts, not condemns.”
from Be Real: Because Fake is Exhausting, by Rick Bezet
Grace and Truth
You see – we don’t really “know” the truth ourselves – so it’s hard for us to tell it.
Especially if we’re trying to sounds like experts.
Especially if we’re trying to act like we’ve got it all together because we are pretending we “live” the truth.
Jesus could talk about the truth.
He is an expert. After all – He is the author of the Truth.
He did have it all together. His life on earth was Truth.
And then the grace part.
We can’t do that either. We don’t even show it for ourselves – so forget about showing it for others.
And like truth – we don’t really know “grace” either.
But then – Jesus is the author of grace as well.
What chance do we have of telling the truth?
Well – let’s look to the author of both Grace and Truth to get the answer to that –
Mk 10:27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
At the time – Jesus was talking about who can be saved.
I always talk about context – so you might ask – what does grace and truth have to do with being saved?
Honestly – being saved is the ultimate freedom –
and given that we’re talking about “the truth will set you free” –
grace and truth have everything to do with being saved.
And – just like we can’t speak Truth – and we can’t show Grace – we can’t save anyone either.
Only God can save people.
Only God can speak Truth.
Only God can show Grace.
“With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
So – how are we supposed to set people free with this Truth that we can’t really speak or know?
Like this –
Ac 1:1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Ac 1:6 So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
Ac 1:7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
The disciples wanted to talk about when Jesus was restore the kingdom to Israel.
But Jesus had more important things to talk about.
Like the fact that we’d be baptized, not just with water, but with the Holy Spirit.
Like the fact that He left us to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth.
We would be His witnesses – but not by our own power. That’s why it was so important for them to not leave Jerusalem until they received the Holy Spirit. We no longer have to be in Jerusalem to receive the Holy Spirit (good thing!), but it’s still important for us to have Him.
And once we do – it’s important for us to use His knowledge – His power – His strength – His Truth – His Grace – to tell others.
Not us, by ourselves. Because we can’t. Because we’re more like to hit the person over the head with the Bible that to explain it.
No. Not by ourselves.
With Him – like this –
Jn 14:25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Got truth?
If you don’t have Truth yet – there’s a way to get it. And I have hinted at it.
You may have noticed the quote at the very beginning –
John 8:32 “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
We saw how the word “and” indicates that the truth must be known before the truth can set us free.
In the same way – the word “then” (the first word in the verse) indicates that something else comes before even knowing the truth.
If you don’t already know it – verse 31 is –
Jn 8:31 … Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.
First – know Jesus teaching – since it’s impossible to hold to something we don’t know. With the help of the Holy Spirit.
Second – hold to – follow – the things that Jesus taught. With the help of the Holy Spirit.
Third – know the Truth. With the help of the Holy Spirit.
Finally – be set free. With the help of the Holy Spirit.
Notice a theme here?
Get Jesus. Get the Holy Spirit. Tell others.
Are you free ?
image from foundationsofmyfaith.blogspot.co
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