John 8:31-59
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
The Truth Will Make You Free
31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?”34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. 36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38 I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.”
39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus *said to them, “If you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham. 40 But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do. 41 You are doing the deeds of your father.” They said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, andyou want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hearthem, because you are not of God.”
48 The Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50 But I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death.” 52 The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also; and You say, ‘If anyonekeeps My word, he will never taste of death.’ 53 Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing;it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’; 55 and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born,I am.” 59 Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.
There were millions and millions of people who believed the theory of the Geo-Centric approach and have died thinking the earth is at the center. But the truth is, the Sun is at the center. What changes did it make to the mankind knowing this truth? Or what does not it accomplish it for those who never knew. These are hard questions to understand. But as of now, there is a quest to know the truth. As like never before in the history of mankind, he has improved to know the meaning and purpose for his existence. But yet there are many things that still needs to be answered. What if the hypothesis is false and what he thinks as the truth may be a false or lie that he only comes to know later when he has departed?
The concept of God is not new. It has been one of the most important aspect of many lives. Knowing and in believing they find a purpose and a call, to which they are accountable and answerable. Their lies the mystery of Will and Destiny. Destiny is a choice that we choose. We have already been chosen to choose this option.
Deuteronomy 30:19 NIV
This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live
Over the period of time. The humankind has chosen to lose sight on the aspects of a Godly life. If there is a God what he would do, he has done. But we as humans have comprehended him with our limited knowledge in this time and space. Questioning and reasoning everything.
If we know the truth about this aspect of God we would not have many of the problems, because many of our problems have arisen out of the conflict in understanding about God. In finding the truth we will have a definite answers for our doubts and an definite purpose for our existence. Without which we will have no hope for eternal Joy and fear of eternal judgment.
The truth that sets us free is not the one which gets us free from our choices, It guarantees the guidance, but it never forces. The truth and the mystery of God is this:
1 Timothy 3:16 NIV
Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.
The truth that many have changed their perspective on God. They wanted God to be (A specific) personality. Indeed its true that God has to be God. But its beyond our reasoning as to what God should be. God made it all simple by sending his one and the only son Jesus. He know that we get caught up with the chaos and confusion that arises because of the unfaithfulness and doubt.
Over the years people have come up with all sorts of thoughts on God. The collective wisdom and thought of few have led to overcome the truth that any one person had. Truth has been deceitfully made to appear as false. Many argue creatively with the technological evidences and achievements saying why is the Bible not clear about the creation? why does the Bible not able to answer about the clear picture of the universe? The Bible contradicts the Geocentric and Heliocentric approach and many of the scientist have been killed and burnt by the christian saying heretics or blasphemy.
The truth is all in acceptance: The ability to respond to the divine call - submitting and surrendering ourselves to him:
Romans 12:1
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Dedicated Service
There are questions about God being unjust and unmerciful, saying if God is so compassionate and loving. Why should he allow all the sufferings the mankind has to go through?
The truth is in understanding God: The misconception about the cause for human sufferings and the solution for it is much to do with the humans only. Expecting God to act on every occasion and if we expect to be doing nothing is illogical and it's impossible.
The second truth is about understanding the sufferings itself: As people it is our creation that without suffering there is no joy.
John 16:21 NIV
A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.
The other aspect as to look at the pain and sufferings is that. We have been created in that way, Many of us think life to be easy and smooth. This way of thinking about life and expectancy is a false way to look at the life. When we see the way the nature responds, the life of every species and in the animal kingdom. All strives to live life and each of those creatures suffer. Mankind has chosen this way:
Genesis 3:22 NIV
And the LORD God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever."
Genesis 3:17 NIV
To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat from it,' "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life.
But thats not all the end: There is a Hope - The Truth is Jesus.
Philippians 4:7 NIV
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
What truth of today will make a change in our lives?
Acts 17:28 NIV
For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'
John 14:6
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
6 Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
No comments:
Post a Comment