Free-ing Truth

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 (NIV, emphasis mine)

I’ve been reading a piece of fiction recently in which the characters, friends, are finding out the importance of truth. “Duh!” might be a response to that revelation but truth is a tricky thing in daily life.

To walk in truth in my relationship with others I must also walk in truth with myself. And the best place to receive truth is from God. His truth is always perfect. It has no hidden agenda or bias. His truth is always constructive not destructive. It convicts but does not condemn. (Example: God says, “Jody, this is great tasting food and the right portion for you.” The enemy says, “Jody, you are fat and will never be able to stop!”) Receiving truth and accepting truth are two separate choices. And this passage gave me a new perspective on that truth.

Jesus is a wonderful teacher. He shows me His truths. He walked those truths in His life. He showed me how to live in those truths. If I use His teachings then I really am His disciple. I receive His truthful teaching and I accept His teachings. And I have the light of God’s truth in my life. Sometimes that is painful. It is taking a deep breath and letting light shine in the closet where I keep things I do not want to see. It is bending down and looking under the bed and ruthlessly acknowledging the hairballs and then choosing to allow God’s Spirit to clean house! Yes, I can shut the closet door or let the bed flap fall back in to place and ignore the ‘filth’. I can keep my dirt as long as I say “No”. God doesn’t like living in a dirty house. There are consequences (good and not good) for every decision! But when the house is cleaned – that is the freshest most wonderful moment! I can dance around the house not tripping over obstacles or bumping into things!

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? IN the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truth in spiritual words.

1 Corinthians 2:9-13 (NIV)