When does the Truth Set us Free?

Summary: We must believe and follow Jesus for the Truth to set us free.  The main truth that Jesus subsequently teaches is that he comes from the Father and that he is Jehovah.

In St. John 8:31-32 it reads, "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

In context, this scripture is teaching that the truth makes us free only if we believe on Jesus and continue obeying the words we receive from Him. In fact, it seems rather obvious after the fact that the truth will only condemn us if we refuse to abide by it.

One important truth that is taught time and again in the scriptures is that Jesus is the Son of God, Jehovah. This can be found in St. John 8:45-59.

The the unbelieving among the Jews refuse to believe Jesus teaching and say that his words won't free them because they are free already as the seed of Abraham. Jesus acknowledges that the Jews are Abraham's seed but says that these Jews are not Abraham's children because they don't follow Abraham's example. Neither are these Jews the children of God, because they refuse to listen to one who "proceeded forth and came from God". Jesus tells them that their father is the devil who seeks to murder and lie and has done so since the beginning (of this Earth presumably).

Jesus then tells them that "If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death." The Jews are incredulous and ask if he thinks he is greater than Abraham, and ask him who he is pretending to be. He tells these Jews that his honor is given him from his Father, who is God, and that even Abraham "rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad." Again, incredulous, they remind him that he is hardly old enough to know what Abraham was thinking 1000 years ago. Then Jesus says "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am." This final phrase angered these Jews so much that they picked up stones to stone him to death.

The grammar is not improper. Jesus is using the Biblical name of Jehovah, I AM. He is stating that he, I AM, came before even Abraham. Unless this statement is true, under the Mosaic law it would be blasphemous. Not believing Jesus, these Jews prepared to stone him to death.