"If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." (John 8:31-32)See? That is not the same thing. That is not generic. That is not "truth will set you free." There is a prerequisite. And the truth that sets you free is not "2+2=4" as an example. Jesus was talking specifics. The truth that you would know would set you free, but it wasn't generic truth and it wasn't by whatever means you could know it.
How are we to know this liberating truth? There are two conditions. First, "If you continue in My word." The truth Jesus was talking about was the truth of His word. And, of course, if Jesus is God and the Scriptures are God-breathed, that would be the Word. But it's not merely knowledge of the Word. It is a continuity, a "remaining in", a total immersion. Second, "You are truly disciples of Mine." This liberating truth is not for everyone. It is for those who are His disciples. On this Jesus said, "You do not believe because you are not of My sheep." (John 10:26) So this truth is a truth found in the Word and is apprehended by faith in Christ and by following Christ. That is the truth that sets you free.
Lots of people like that phrase, "The truth shall set you free." I saw it once used against Christians. They assumed "the truth" that would "set you free" was that there was no God. And that's what comes from taking things out of context. The truth that you can know is not whatever truth you feel is true. It is God's truth found in God's Word obtained by following Christ. That truth can be known. That truth will set you free.
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