Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’” vss. 31-32
John 8:31-33
There are countless people in our world who have, at one time or another in their lives, made some sort of commitment to Jesus. Perhaps they went through the rite of baptism or confirmation, or maybe at a revival they made a personal decision to follow him–there are many such opportunities available. Yet, if we can believe the statistics, only about 25% of those calling themselves Christian actually engage in regular worship. In other words, having committed to Jesus, they’ve later dropped out, become inactive, or gone in another direction. Sadly, to use John’s vocabulary, they’ve not continued to trust Jesus; and because they haven’t, they’re not really disciples, they don’t know the truth, and they don’t have freedom! That sounds harsh, but John has a point. Continuing in the faith is the key to knowing the freedom that life in Christ can bring. It’s relatively easy to make a good start on the Jesus journey–hanging in there through boring sermons, career distractions, and cultural obsessions is another matter. But for those who do continue in the word, the rewards are great. It’s not that our lives will be free of pain or suffering, but freedom in Christ brings serenity beyond description. It’s a spiritual security that goes beyond a monthly check!
Thought for the Day: What is the key to continuing in faith?
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