The truth will set you free

John 8:31-32 (NLT)
31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Matthew Henry tells us the following about the verses above. “The truth and certainty of the promise, the liberty which the Jews boasted of was an imaginary liberty; they boasted of a false gift; but the liberty which Christ gives is a certain thing, it is real, and has real effects. The servants of sin promise themselves liberty, and fancy themselves free, when they have broken religion’s bands asunder; but they cheat themselves. None are free indeed but those whom Christ makes free.”



People often use John 8:32 incorrectly. How many times have you heard someone say, “The truth will set you free” and they are implying telling the truth will somehow relieve you of the consequences of sin. I want to say telling the truth is the right thing to do, but telling the truth is not a get out of jail free card. Telling the truth will begin to bring healing into your life, but the damage has already been done.

I remember a Cops episode on TV where the officer was telling the suspect if he would tell the truth it would set him free. Actually, when the suspect told the truth he was placed in a patrol car and arrested for theft by taking. The man may have felt a sense of freedom by telling the truth, but the consequence for stealing was still there.

You see telling the truth after a sin is not what Jesus is talking about. Jesus was telling us knowing the truth about sin, knowing the truth that Jesus is our Lord and Savior and knowing the truth about the promises of God will set you free. Jesus wants to keep you free from sin before you fall prey to it!