The Qualifiers

“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.” (John 8:31-32)

The first qualifier. Jesus is not addressing everyone in the above passage. Jesus is not addressing the non-believers or the unregenerate. He is speaking only to those who believe on Him.

The second qualifier. Jesus makes it very clear that belief in Him alone does not automatically make someone His disciple. Jesus gives a conditional statement in the form of “if-then”. Some call this deductive reasoning.

Jesus says, “IF ye continue in my word, THEN are ye my disciples indeed”.

We must not only believe in Jesus, but abide in Him and His word. This is what separates us from the devils, for the devils surely believe in Jesus as well, but do not continue in His will or ways. See James 2:19.

Once we believe in Jesus and abide in Him explicitly and implicitly, then and only then shall we know the truth. Then and only then can we break the bondage of sin and the shackles of this mortal coil and be free from this earthly, temporal domain.

Believe and abide in Jesus. Then comes knowledge of truth which allows for true liberty.

But why did Jesus only address those who believed in Him? Because the others can’t hear or comprehend what he said, or would be so offended by the truth that they would want to kill Him.

“But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.” (John 8:40)

“Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.” (John 8:43).

“And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.” (John 8:45)

“He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.” (John 8:47).

Watch how people react to Jesus and His word. Does it fall on deaf ears? Does the truth agitate and infuriate?

“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” (James 3:17-18).

Only a devil could be offended by the truth. The Child of God seeks it out.

Bill Hitchcock