Beloved Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

At the last Bible Study Camp of the youth held at Camp Quaranup a few weeks ago one of the topic was "Christian Freedom." A very relevant topic since this is an area where lot of church members have difficulties; difficulties when comes to the practical application: how to live in accordance with the Word of God. Take, for example the theme which the consistory of West Albany has chosen for this year’s annual home visits: "Being built up a spiritual house." No doubt, when during the course of this year you will delve a bit further in the practical application of this theme > think of the items mentioned on that sheet which was handed out at the congregational meeting: How do we respond to material wealth, the media, music, recreation  no doubt, when discussing these issues, it will appear that what the one considers as wrong, someone else has no difficulty with. Especially when it comes to practical issues we do not all think the same. And is there not also a certain freedom?

The point is, Br. & Sr., what do we mean when we plead for freedom, for freedom to do this or to do that? For note well, when Scripture speaks about freedom it means something totally different than what the world understands by it.

According to the world freedom means that one can do what he wants: freedom to arrange your own time, the way you like to do things, pursuing your own goals. But, beloved, is this really being free? For what when the goals have been achieved and that what was expected indeed did materialise? Oftentimes it still does not bring true happiness and satisfaction. Say, for example, one’s aim is to become rich in life or to obtain power. Everything is then directed towards this goal, whereby one is always on the lookout for anything that might constitute a threat to success. Moreover once the goal is reached oftentimes people are still not satisfied, there always is that craving for more. And this is just one example.

Freedom - yes what is that? Is this indeed a matter of no rules, doing what you want to do? Around us we see that this kind of freedom makes people become enslaved to their own sinful passions. In the end it ruins and destroys life. After all it is in Christ only that one finds real freedom. Christ, who according to LD 1 HC has set us free from all the power of the devil.

People sometimes pity those poor Christians who have to abstain from so many things and are not allowed to follow the desires of their own heart. Yet, beloved, it is because of the life-renewing work of Christ’s Spirit that our hearts have different desires now. LD 1 speaks about the desire to live for Christ.

Well, it is this desire, which should determine also all our speaking about freedom. That’s the truth of which our text says: it shall make you free. Yes, the truth makes us free, the truth in Christ. That’s the gospel I may proclaim to you this afternoon,

We will see that this true freedom

1. is found when we abide in Christ
2. break away from sin
3. serve God in holiness

I Before we delve into our text, first let me set the scene. Yes, for a proper understanding of our text, first I have to tell you something about the context. John 8, Br. & Sr., consists mainly of four controversial dialogues between the Lord Jesus and the Jews; four dialogues in which the Lord Jesus presents Himself as the One sent by the Father. Yet this self-witness of the Lord Jesus is not accepted, John 8,13, where the Pharisees say, "Your witness is not true." According to the Law of Moses, Christ’s testimony about Himself could be regarded reliable only if there was a second witness to confirm His words. The Lord Jesus, however, replies that, because of His origin and future, He has no need for a witness. Being the Son of God His testimony is valid and true without further confirmation, vs. 14. Nevertheless the Jews rejected this testimony in unbelief.

All this leads to a further dialogue in which Jesus speaks of His death, resurrection and ascension, vs. 21, "….." But again there is no understanding. The Jews mock in contempt: If He is going to a place we cannot go, He must be planning to commit suicide. In that case He is a child of hell, and as children of heaven we cannot have fellowship with Him (because we cannot and will not go to hell!).

But the Lord turns this on them and confirms that there is indeed a horrendously deep gulf between them and Himself. Christ belongs to heaven, but they are from below. The spirit of the world, which hates and rejects God, has become their flesh and blood. That’s why they will die in their sins. In their hatred of the Christ they have made themselves children of hell, vss. 22-24. No less than two times they have to hear this ominous judgment from the mouth of the Lord Jesus, "You will die in your sins." Unless they believe that believe that "I am He."

The Jews understood very well what Jesus meant with these last words. For with these words "I am He" the Lord Jesus actually applied the OT language for Yahweh to Himself. At the end of this chapter He does this even more unambiguous saying, vs. 58, "….." Yet in unbelief and unwillingness the Jews scold Him for daring to speak with such conceited authority, vs. 25a, "Then they said to Him, ‘Who are You?’" In answer to this, the Lord Jesus first gives vent to the hopeless futility of His speaking with them, vs. 25b. They just don’t want to listen! But still, He will answer them, so they could never be exonerated. In justifying His speaking with high authority, the Lord once more appeals to the Father Who has sent Him, vs. 26. But again they did not understand. Yes, it is as if Jesus sees already the hatred in the eyes of these leaders; a hatred with which they finally would crucify Him. And yet the hatred of these leaders cannot take away Jesus’ faithful reliance on God who sent Him and whose assignment He will faithfully fulfil to the end, vs. 29.

I spoke about unbelief from the side of Israel’s leaders. However there were also others, vs. 30, "….." Here we see the victorious power of the preaching. Despite all opposition Christ’s preaching still bore fruit. Even though the majority of the Jews had turned their back on Jesus, there were also others who in the struggle for the truth, were overpowered by the truth and so won for the truth. Indeed something to be thankful for. But then the Lord Jesus continues saying to those who believed in Him, vs. 31, "….." This means to remain steadfast in faith we are to abide in the Word of Christ. Then only we are true disciples of His.

We are to abide in the Word of Christ. What does this mean? ‘To abide in’ - we find this expression more often in the gospel according to John. I think of Ch. 15, 4, for example, where the Lord Jesus says, "….." Well, the same thought we meet in our text. To be a true disciple of Christ one has to abide in the Word of Christ. In John 15 the Lord Jesus works this out using the image of the vine and the branches. Just as a branch continuously taps its life nutrients out of the vine, likewise must we in faith always cling to Christ, never allowing that anyone or anything draws us away from Him.

We are to abide in Christ, in His Word. It is then also the Word of Christ to which we are to submit when we differ from opinion, when trying to find each other also in practical issue, eg with respect to "being built up a spiritual house." To abide in the Word of Christ - this means that this Word controls your whole life, your thoughts and actions. If you do so, says the Lord Jesus, "you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free," vs. 32.

"You shall know the truth." This truth is first of all the truth about oneself. One has to learn to see in his life the power of sin, which makes a person blind, incapable of seeing who he really is: a sinful human being. Yes, only the truth, ie the truth of God’s Word, can make a person, who fancies himself to be free > only the truth of God’s Word can make us understand that by nature we are slaves of sin. Once you have seen this, one will also understand that only the truth can free him from this slavery. For the truth of God’s Word is a power unto life, it makes you see through the illusion of thinking to be free and yet being captivated by sin. See there, beloved, how the truth will makes us free.

One may say, but what does all this now mean in more practical terms? For as children of God we have been freed by the truth. And with all the different opinions which there are among us, isn’t the intention of each and every one of us to abide in Christ. In most cases it is only when it comes to the practical application that ways part. And then I think again of the theme chosen for this year, "being built up a spiritual house.’ And so one may wonder: does the text chosen for this afternoon’s sermon brings us much further in the issue at hand?

What to say about this? Often the remark is made that regarding specific issues the Word of God does not give us clear direction. Yet such a remark, Br. & Sr, can easily lead to relativism, which means nothing is absolute, everything is relative. Yet let us once more listen very carefully to what the Lord Jesus says: when we abide in Him we shall know the truth and the truth shall make us free. That’s promise!

You shall know the truth, ie God’s Word. For God’s Word is the truth. This knowing of God’s Word, Br. & Sr., is more than just having a good knowledge of the facts of the Bible. One can have a lot of Bible knowledge and yet not know the truth.

What then is truth from a Scriptural point of view? It comes very close to being reliable, faithful. That’s why Christ can say, "I am the Truth." The truth is fully displayed in Him: in His death and resurrection the terribleness of sin, death and destruction is revealed. However, it also reveals reconciliation, redemption, and salvation. That’s why Christ is also the Life. Through Him real, glorious life is again attainable. A life no longer curtailed by sin and misery, disturbed and finally destroyed, but one, which can lead to eternal joy, freedom and glory. Jesus Christ is this life. And this life can be received and enjoyed through faith in Him.

Back to our text now, where Christ says, "and you shall know the truth." Again this is more than merely a lot of Bible knowledge. It means that you know God as your faithful covenant God. True then there are many things hidden from us, to difficult to understand. But one thing I do know and that is that God is faithful always! And therefore to Him I will render my life in everything. That’s how the truth makes me free, free from the slavery of sin. And that’s why I also want to break away from sin, ie from everything that would trouble my relation with God. See, that’s now abiding in the Word of God.

If on this basis we speak with each other about different approach in practical issues, I do believe that regarding lots of things deep down we know it’s not really what the Lord wants, but what I want. Beloved, let us be honest with each other and acknowledge in light of the truth revealed to us: that this is our nature, that sinful nature which we only get rid of, if we seek our life completely out of ourselves to find it in Jesus Christ alone. Yes, then freed by the truth we know only one desire to abide in Christ so that our life may bear fruit for Him.

II I come to my second point. Christ says to those Jews who believed in Him, "and the truth shall make you free." This implicates: at present you are slaves, who need to be delivered. From vs. 33 we learn how much this saying hurt those Jews. They say, "….." True, they had been slaves in Egypt, been exiled to Babylon and even now they were living under Roman authority. Yet we have to read this statement from a spiritual point of view. These Jews were descendants from Abraham, covenant children and so God was their Father. They were God’s chosen nation, a redeemed people. So how can the Lord Jesus then say that they are slaves who need to be delivered?

In the vss. 34-36 the Lord Jesus gives an answer to this question. To understand what this freedom of which Christ spoke is all about, first they had to come to grips with their present slavery, vs. 34, "….." And therefore, so the Lord Jesus says, it is not true that you never have been in bondage. Yes, even these Jews who believed in Christ were by nature slaves of sin. That’s truth they must know. They too were slaves of sin unable to redeem themselves. A slave can not free himself, but he is to be freed. Well, that’s how also these Jews had to be freed from the bondage of sin.

To make this even more clear the Lord Jesus works this out further with a very short parable. In fact speaking about being a slave of sin is already using some kind of analogy. Well, in vs. 35 the Lord Jesus elaborates this analogy saying, "….." A slave belongs to his master no matter how much he may be part of the family. He is not really part of the family. A slave can be sold, for example. That’s what the Lord Jesus means, when He says, "a slave does not abide in the house forever." Yet this is different to a son. That family tie can never be undone, a son abides forever. And not only this. Even the son has authority where it concerns the redemption of a slave, vs. 36. In this verse the image becomes reality. For Christ is this Son who redeems the slave. However the difference with vs. 35 is that He did not belong to the house of sin, but as God’s Son He is Son over His own house, Hebr. 3,6, ie God’s house which differs totally of a house of bondage. Well, as God’s Son Christ has authority to redeem those who live in bondage to give them a place in God’s house, and this eternally. That’s why Christ can say in vs. 36, "….."

"If the Son makes you free," vs. 36 > comparing these words with vs. 32 which spoke about the truth making us free, it can be clear that Christ is the Truth. So already in vs. 32 Christ was speaking about Himself. Yes, as our Redeemer He is "full of grace and truth," John 1,14. And this truth is that Christ gives real redemption, real redemption from the bondage of sin. A redemption which covers our whole life. From this we may learn, Br. & Sr., that if we want to be really free we have to break with sin in our life. After all, sin is a terrible power, which keeps man chained in lethal slavery.

Let us for a moment go back to those Jews who believed in Christ. Even though they were children of Abraham, according to the flesh, as long as they did not share the faith of father Abraham they would not be regarded as sons in the house of God, but as slaves. And just as Ishmael, the son of the slave, was removed from Abraham’s tent, so would they, too, be removed of the house of God. That is, unless they would become true sons of Abraham by faith in Christ Who, as the Son in God’s house, could make them free through His work of redemption.

The freedom of which these Jews spoke so highly was no more than an illusionary freedom. They actually lived in bondage. For they held on to a freedom from beneath for which they had to work themselves, whilst the real freedom comes from above as a gift of God. Claiming to be free they were still in the bondage of sin, as they more or less also had to admit themselves, when no one dared to throw the first stone at that woman caught in adultery, about which we read in the beginning of this chapter.

Moreover in this same chapter we hear Christ say, vs. 44a, "….." Thus sin kept them in bondage and unless they would turn to Christ they would die in their sins.

Summarising, true freedom will only be found in Christ. Yes, He sets us really free, like He did with that adulterous woman who heard out of Christ mouth, "I do not condemn you, go and sin no more." Thus those who are slaves of sin receive a rightful position in the house of God. As it reads in John 1, 12, those who believe in Christ and accept His Word receive the right to become children of God who will never taste death, as it says in the concluding part of Ch. 8, vs. 52.

Beloved, let us then indeed render our life to Christ; not just a little bit, but completely. Realise that the freedom we often claim for ourselves -am I not free to do this or free to do that, even when this sometimes is presented under the cover of: ‘But it is still my intention to serve the Lord’ >

Br. & Sr., so often this freedom we are fighting for is nothing else than still being attached to the pleasures of this world, which we don’t want to give up: that footie or that cricket match, that TV program we did not want to miss out on, or that tape with music we did not want to throw out, that last tinny of beer we should not have taken. We claim freedom, but at bottom it is nothing else than being enslaved to sin.

Be honest with yourself, beloved. Let the Son set you free. For then you will know the truth, ie then you will see that all that this world has to offer us is no more than an illusive freedom, it may bring happiness for a moment, but it does not last. Therefore do no longer claim this freedom for yourself, but rejoice in the freedom Christ will give you. For that makes life really happy.

III When in this way we let ourselves be freed by Christ, beloved, our life will take on a totally different direction. In this context I think of what the apostle Paul writes in Romans 6, 22, "….."

Slaves of God and yet sons - how are we to understand this? The point is this, beloved, that our freedom in Christ has a purpose. Think also of this morning’s sermon. We are set free so that our life may reach the aim for which God once created it, viz. to glorify Him. Well, who would not rejoice in this great aim? Yes, then we rejoice in the holiness, which is fruit of our freedom in Christ.

Note well, beloved, also this holiness is a gift of God. All too often the thought lives with us that now Christ has set us free from the slavery of sin > not only are we no longer allowed to do this or to do that, but also we have 1to do this and we have to do that. But, beloved, we can do nothing. It is the working of Christ’s Spirit in our life that brings this about. Having set us free Christ gives us a new life in which the fruits of the Spirit blossom. Thus by power from above I may show in my life true genuine love towards God and towards my neighbour. Yes, the latter as well, as the apostle Paul writes in Gal. 5,13, "….."

Thus we may stand fast in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, Gal. 5,1. The riches of this freedom, beloved, one will only understand when he has given his life to Christ in everything. That’s why we speak about this freedom as a freedom in Christ. Claiming this freedom we no longer live for ourselves, but for Him who gave us this freedom. Yes then -as the apostle Paul says in I Cor. 10,31, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, you do it all to the glory of God, rejoicing in the freedom by which Christ has set us free. Never forget, beloved, this is the only true freedom.

Amen.

Last modified: December 01, 2002