Scripture John 8:32
Friday Nov 29th,
1974 - The day after Thanksgiving - I was introduced to the verse John
8:32. That verse not only made clear
what took place for me on Monday Nov 4th 1974, when I put my trust
in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, it became the epicenter for my faith from
that day till now and I trust until the return of Christ! Do you have a life verse or passage that
centers you in your relationship to Christ?
There are many great ones.
Depends on what is most important to you about God.
Here are the top 10 most searched on Bible Gateway.
10 Matt 28:19:
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
9 Phil 4:6: Do
not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
8 Rom 12:2: Do
not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s
will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
3 Rom 8:28: And
we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who
have been called according to his purpose.
2 Jer 29:11: For
I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and
not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
1 John 3:16: For
God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes
in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Your choice of a life verse depends on what is most important to you
about God.
For me, the most important thing is that I could have
an eternal relationship with the God who created me through his son Jesus
because what Jesus did provided the forgiveness of my sins - and that is the truth! John 8:30 Even as Jesus spoke, many put their faith in him. 31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus
said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really
my disciples. 32 Then you will know the
truth, and the truth will set you free."
Truth is rooted in the
eternal God who is all powerful and unchangeable. Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is Truth”
(John 17:17). Truth is far more than facts. It’s not just
something we act upon. It
acts upon us. We can’t change the truth, but the truth can
change us. It sanctifies (sets us apart) from the falsehoods
woven into our sin natures.
As Christ the living Word is truth, so his written
word is truth. Over half the New Testament uses of “truth” (aletheia) are in
John’s gospel. Truth is reality. It’s the way things really are. What seems to
be and what really is are often not the same. To know the truth is to see
accurately.
God has written His truth on human hearts, in the
conscience (Romans 2:13-16 For
it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is
those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (Indeed, when Gentiles,
who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a
law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that
the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also
bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.)
Shame of conscience comes from a recognition that
truth has been violated. When the world hears truth, if spoken graciously, many
are drawn to it by the moral emptiness they feel. The heart longs for
truth—even the heart that rejects it.
As followers of Christ, (3 John 1:3) we
are to walk in the truth, (2
Thessalonians 2:10-12) believe
the truth. (Eph. 4:15)
We’re to speak the truth “in
love”. Truth is far more than a moral
guide. (John 14:6)
Jesus declared, “I am the way, the truth and the life; no man comes to the Father but by Me”.
He didn’t say He would show the truth or teach the truth or model the truth. He
is the truth. He is the source of all truth, the embodiment of truth and
therefore the reference
point for evaluating all truth-claims.
As John 8:32 is the epicenter for my faith so too Jesus is the epicenter
of all truth.
John 8:1-59 THE WOMAN CAUGHT IN THE ACT OF ADULTERY
Jesus went to
the Mount of Olives. 2 At dawn he
appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him,
and he sat down to teach them. 3 The
teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery.
They made her stand before the group 4
and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was
caught in the act of adultery. 5
In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women.
Now what do you say?" 6
They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing
him. But Jesus bent down and started to
write on the ground with his finger. 7
When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to
throw a stone at her." 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the
ground. 9 At this, those who heard
began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was
left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman,
where are they? Has no one condemned you?" 11 "No one,
sir," she said. "Then neither do
I
condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now
and leave your life of sin."
THE PHARISSE
CHALLENGE JESUS
12 When Jesus
spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the
light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will
have the light of life." 13 The Pharisees challenged him, "Here
you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid."
14 Jesus answered, "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid,
for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I
come from or where I am going. 15 You judge by human standards; I pass judgment
on no one. 16 But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not
alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. 17 In your own Law it is written that the
testimony of two men is valid. 18 I am one who testifies for myself; my other
witness is the Father, who sent me." 19 Then they asked him, "Where is your
father?" "You do not know me or my
Father," Jesus replied. "If you knew
me, you would know my Father also."
20 He spoke these words while
teaching in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no
one seized him, because his time had not yet come.
THE JEWS ESCULATE
AN ARGUMENT WITH JESUS
21 Once more
Jesus said to them, "I am going away, and you will
look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come."
22 This made the Jews ask, "Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, 'Where I go,
you cannot come'?" 23 But
he continued, "You are from below; I am from
above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 I told you that you
would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am [the one I claim to
be], you will indeed die in your sins." 25 "Who are you?" they asked. "Just what I
have been claiming all along," Jesus replied. 26 "I have much
to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is reliable, and what I have
heard from him I tell the world." 27 They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. 28
So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know
that I am [the one I claim to be] and that I do nothing on my own but speak
just what the Father has taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left
me alone, for I always do what pleases him." 30 Even
as he spoke, many put their faith in him. 31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.
32 Then you will know the truth, and the
truth will set you free." 33
They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves
of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?" 34 Jesus
replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins
is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son
belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37
I know you are
Abraham's descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room
for my word. 38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence,
and you do what you have heard from your father." 39 "Abraham
is our father," they answered.
"If you were Abraham's children," said
Jesus, "then you would do the things Abraham did. 40 As it is, you are
determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.
Abraham did not do such things. 41 You are doing the things your own father does."
"We
are not illegitimate children," they protested. "The only Father we have is God himself." 42
Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from
God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. 43 Why is my language
not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your
father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a
murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in
him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the
father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! 46
Can any of you
prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me?
47 He who
belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do
not belong to God." 48 The Jews answered him, "Aren't we
right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?" 49 "I am not possessed by a demon," said Jesus,
"but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. 50
I am not seeking
glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51
I tell you the
truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death." 52 At
this the Jews exclaimed, "Now we know that you
are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that if
anyone keeps your word, he will never taste death. 53 Are you greater
than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you
are?" 54 Jesus replied, "If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom
you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. 55 Though you do not
know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do
know him and keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day;
he saw it and was glad." 57
"You
are not yet fifty years old," the Jews said to him, "and you have seen Abraham!" 58 "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" 59 At
this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away
from the temple grounds.
Back up:
30 Even as he
spoke, many put their faith in him. 31 To
the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you
hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know
the truth, and the truth will set you free." 33 They
answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants
and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set
free?" 34 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.
35 Now a
slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36
So if the Son
sets you free, you will be free indeed. (Amazing Grace Chains)
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