Scripture Reading: John 8:31-36
The Nature of Truth
Intro.
1. God’s word is truth; powerful to save and to sanctify, Rom. 1:16; Jno. 17:17.
2. God expects us to understand His will (truth), Eph. 5:17; 2 Pet. 3:18.
3. Truth is the standard by which we will be judged with condemnation or everlasting life, Jno. 12:48-50.
4. Still, too many Christians yield to the temptation of viewing truth as relative, flexible and changing. Truth is self-defined these days. With Pilate, they say, “What is truth?” (Jno. 18:38), and answer: “Truth is what I say it is!” (cf. Gender identity)
5. Use John 8:31-32 to learn the nature of truth.
I. “IF” – TRUTH IS CONDITIONAL, Jno. 8:31.
-“If...then” establishes conditions that must be met in order to obtain the corresponding blessing (or, by disobedience, the corresponding curse). Condition of obedient faith, Jno. 14:23—
1. If in Christ, then Abraham’s seed, Gal. 3:29 (26-27).
2. If a son, then an heir, Gal. 4:7.
3. If you believe, then you may be baptized, Acts 8:36-37.
4. If (while husband is living) she marries another man, then she is an adulteress, Rom. 7:3.
5. If you love me, (then) keep my commandments, Jno. 14:15.
6. It is our responsibility to learn the conditions God puts upon us: To be saved, Acts 2:36-38; To be faithful, Col. 3:1-4.
II. “YOU” – TRUTH IS PERSONAL, Jno. 8:31.
A. Sin is Personal, Ezek. 18:4; Rom. 5:12.
B. Truth, Salvation and Service are Personal, Jno. 7:17; Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:40.
C. Never Rely on Yourself or Others as Your Source of Truth and Confidence of Salvation, Matt. 10:37-39 (Prov. 14:12).
III. “ABIDE IN MY WORD” – TRUTH IS COMPLETE, Jno. 8:31.
A. Must Faithfully Continue in the Truth, Jno. 14:23-24; Gal. 5:7.
1. If truth is incomplete, we can never be assured you are correctly obeying Jesus.
2. First-century truth saves and preserves us now, 1 Pet. 1:22-25.
B. Truth is not Relative and Ever-Changing, Jude 3 (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
IV. “(THEN) YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES INDEED” – TRUTH IS PRACTICAL, Jno. 8:31.
A. Obeying the Truth Produces Disciples, Acts 11:26.
B. The Objective of Learning the Truth is not Intellectual Increase, it is So We Can Follow Jesus, Lk. 6:40.
V. “AND YOU SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH” – TRUTH IS KNOWABLE, Jno. 8:32. (Heb. 10:26)
A. We Must Learn Truth: Be Teachable, Matt. 13:10-18.
1. Heart must give place to truth, Jno. 8:37, 40.
2. We must be willing to listen to truth, Jno. 8:43.
B. Truth is Definable, Objective, and Absolute (Jno. 18:38):
1. If not, then...
a. We cannot be sanctified, Jno. 17:17.
b. We cannot know God, Jno. 1:14, 17-18.
c. We cannot know Christ or go to the Father, Jno. 14:6.
d. We cannot have fellowship with God, 1 Jno. 1:6-7.
e. We cannot handle it properly, 2 Tim. 2:15.
f. Our hope (and grace) is in jeopardy, Col. 1:5-6.
VI. “AND THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE” – TRUTH IS POWERFUL, Jno. 8:32. Heb. 4:12
A. Freedom from Sin, Jno. 8:34-36.
-The Son frees sinners via truth; Without truth, there is no freedom from sin.
Conclusion
1. Your view of truth shapes your decisions toward God and Christ.
2. Truth puts conditions on each of us which we must obey. We must desire to learn truth so we can live by it and be freed from the bondage of sin.
By: Joe R. Price
Posted: July 7, 2017