Joh 8:31-32
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.
32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
Php 4:11-13
11 … I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:
12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
What does it mean that the truth will make you free?
Do you feel free?
In Phillipians 4:11 Paul said that he has learned to be content in whatever state he finds himself. He goes on to list some of the things he has been through such as starvation, being full, unmet needs, and fulfilled needs. We know from scripture that Paul went through many terrible ordeals, (imprisonment, torture, shipwrecked, etc.) because of his faith, but remarkably he is still able to make that statement of contentment.
How is Paul able to be content even in the midst of all those terrible things that happened to him? I’ll tell you how. Paul knew the truth and it set him free. But how does it set him free, you ask. Well, if you had several million dollars saved in the bank, would you be worried about where your next meal was going to come from or if you will have a place to sleep? No. That money makes you feel secure in the knowledge that all those needs are taken care of. For Paul having Jesus is not only equivalent to having money in the bank but much, much more. This is not merely an intellectual fact for Paul but it is something that lives in his heart and permeates through his whole being.
Paul knows that he is not burdened by the law. He does not have to worry about making a mistake because he knows that no matter what he does, he will not lose his salvation because it’s not based on the goodness or badness of his life but on the perfect life of Christ whose righteousness has been imputed to him. In other words because he has accepted Jesus, Jesus’ perfect life now pays for Paul’s imperfect life just as it pays for the lives of all those who accept Jesus.
Paul tries not to sin because he loves Jesus and does not want to do anything that will hurt Him but he is not worried about making a mistake and sinning because if he does, he knows it will not condemn him, (Rom. 8:1-2). He is not worried about guilt for just as the blood of Jesus covers all his sins so too it removes guilt. You see, Paul knows that no matter how dire the circumstances are, God will be with him. He knows that even through the most terrible physical pain, God will be with him and give him peace as he goes through it. He knows from experience that no matter what the world throws at him, he is able to endure all with peace and joy because God will be right there with him. These are not merely religious concepts to Paul. These are things he knows because he has experienced them many times over. No wonder he can say “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Phil. 1:21. What he means is: If he lives great, He will be living with Christ who runs his life and if he dies even better as he will get to leave all the pain and suffering behind and go have the most awesome eternity with Jesus.
Wow!!! Can you imagine living a life like that? No worries, no stress, just being able to kick back and say “yeah, I know I am going to have all kinds of problems but it’s no sweat off my back, cause me and Jesus, we got them all licked.” Is that freedom or what? Is that not abundant life? When you can live your life to the utmost; that is really living life in abundance.
Christians, you can live this life of freedom and abundance. It is yours for the taking. All you have to do is believe it. Jesus said it. It’s true. Now believe it and live it. That is the life Jesus intended you to live and He has given you everything you need to live it. Just exercise the faith that He has also given you.
If you are reading this and you are not a Christian, you can have this life also. Just pray and ask the Lord to forgive you of all your sins and let Him know that you are sorry and are repenting. Then tell Him that you believe that He came and died for your sins and that he paid for all your sins with His perfect life and you accept this gift of His life in order for you to come home to the Father in heaven.
In His Service
Frank Vernon
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