John 8:31-38
Mankind lives under the strain of mystery. Unanswered questions plague him at every level. Where did we come from? Who am I? What is my purpose? As he comes up with the wrong answers to these questions, he makes and executes plans on his wrong answers perpetuating misery through time.
One of the biggest wrong answers I believe mankind has ever entertaimed is in regard to his origin. The origin of our specie was not primordial matter. It was the mind of God. This wrong answer is toxic because it precludes the One who preceeded our beginning from our beginning. Removing the Answer to our problems from the dialogue about our problems was a masterfully sophisticated strategy that the enemy has used to enslave millions. Ultimately the only person who will be able to diagnose and address our problem is Jesus Christ. This is why;
“I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.”
Because Jesus had been with the Father, he knows precisely what has gone wrong. The DNA of darkness entered into mankind at the Fall making him susceptible to lies that satan has masterfully woven into societies throughout history enslaving them to philosophies, religions and folly in general. It is the ideas that flow from these poisoned wells that Jesus is talking about. These are the things we have heard from our father (satan) that we then go out and do. In a sense our problems can be traced to our pedigree. Who is our father? Are we chidren of satan’s darkness (deception) or are we children of God’s Light (Truth)?
Since we have the Holy Spirit, the Couselor and Spirit of Truth, can we as Christians be deceived? Unfortunately, I believe we can. Keep in mind who Jesus is speaking to in our passage; “Jews who had believed in Him“. So, it is to believers Jesus delivers the hard word; that it is possible that….
My word has no place in you.
The only way I can make sense of this passage is to conclude that these young believers had lived their lives, as we have, being conditioned by the things the father of our fallen natures has fed us throughout our lives, enslaving us. Jesus gives them the remedy for their dilemma and ours.
and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.
This was offensive. “What do you mean! We have great pedigrees. We are the offspring of Abraham. We have never been enslaved!” Jesus more or less said if you have practiced sin, you have demonstrated your enslavement. Then he makes a peculiar statement, one that I have struggled to understood but may have some new light on.
And the slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever.
I think the Lord may have been saying that ultimately if we “abide” in (honor and heed) His Word, the truth will unscramble and transform our minds, which will eventually convert us from our slave mentality to that of sons who will live forever in the Father’s presence. I think its possible that slaves will not remain in the house forever because over time, by way of our abiding in His word and walking in His Spirit, the Truth will liberate and convert us into sons – those who have been led out of the enslavement of darkness, thus remaining forever.
Just as these Jews were deceived into believing that their pedigree exempted them from deception, Christians too are deceived into believing they are exempted. These Jews were offended and so are we when someone implies we are not free. As one who has dealt with some post-conversion deception, I would encourage you to pay attention to the things that offend you. Remember these Jews reaction to the Truth; “What do you mean?!” We do the same thing and then we too present our pedigrees, “I am Christian. I am not deceived!” In my ongoing journey out of religious darkness, I am discovering that what offends me is a key to discovering the specific lies I am enslaved to. I would encourage you to keep in mind that if you are like me, one who has always found himself innocent on all counts, you are demonstrating the strongest evidence of your slavery.
You may be saying,”Well thank God I’m not offended with anyone. I guess I’m clean”. All I can say is, “Good luck with that.” I am not a professional counselor. I am a new creature who is being set free, who is offering an opinion. I believe that some lies are buried so deep into our identities that we have perfected patterns of thought, enabling us to live in denial (darkness and deception). For those of us in this camp the solution is the same;
The Truth (is the only thing that) shall set us free.
Father, glorify Your Name as You continue to lead us out of our slavery to corruption and into the freedoms You have purchased for us. Amen.