“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’” – John 8:31-32

The words of Christ are comforting indeed. “The truth shall make you free!” Freedom is a natural desire for every human being. In the land of the free and the home of the brave we relish our coveted liberties. This is one of the few scriptures that sounds sweet to the world. However, it is severely misunderstood. What is freedom to the common American? Freedom to say what you want, do what you want, worship how you want, and who you want, et cetera. Freedom means you can’t be thrown into jail for being involved in profane speech, promiscuity, covetousness, lust, adultery, and the list goes on. After all it is a free country! However, if the true meaning of John 8:32 was understood by all it would transform in most minds from being freeing to restricting. How could a verse about freedom be restricting?

It would do everyone good to consider bible verses in their context. A text without its context is a pretext. Let us consider how this exclamation of freedom made by Christ proved to be offensive to the Jews who heard it.

When Jesus spoke these words to the Jews they replied, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will be made free’?” (8:33). It is clear that their perception of freedom was contrary to that of Christ’s. Their mindsets were on physical things. This was a recurring issue with the Jews in the four gospels. Jesus ministry was in preparation for a spiritual kingdom (cf. John 18:36). The freedom introduced by Christ in John 8:32 had to do with spiritual things. “Jesus answered them, ‘Most assuredly I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin’” (8:34). The Jews were slaves of sin due to their rejection of the Messiah, and desire to kill Him (cf. 8:37). The One they rejected was the truth, and so they were slaves of sin (cf. John 14:6). It is evident by their attempt on Christ’s life that His proclamation of the truth offended them (8:59).

Parallel to this passage is the gospel of Christ as penned by the apostle Paul, “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness” (Romans 6:16)? Paul implies that there are two areas of slavery, and everyone is confined under one of the two. Spiritual slavery is not a choice. However, the choice remains as to which master one will serve. “And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:18). The choice of “obedience leading to righteousness” results in a liberation from sin. Truth is the antithesis of sin, and therefore restricts anyone who is obeying it from committing sin. When sin is committed there is a rejection of truth, and therefore a surrender of the freedom truth offers. Ergo, the truth Christ preached that will “set you free” is a restriction from sin. The result of obedience to the truth is “eternal life,” while obedience to sin is “death” (cf. Romans 6:23). Essentially the choice is freedom from life, or freedom from death.

The people of the world take this phrase of Christ’s and “twist [it] to their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:16). There is an indication of unconditional salvation in the world’s interpretation of Christ’s words. Some would claim that the only necessity there is to please Christ is to know Him, i.e. have a personal relationship with Him, and that everything else is trivial. Some believe that initial faith in Christ sets one free from any form of regulation. However, they don’t realize that there are restrictions either way. You cannot be a slave of sin and practice righteousness. You cannot be a slave of righteousness and practice sin. If someone is practicing sin in any way or fashion it does not matter if they were at one point set free from sin, because they have returned to its bondage. Being set free via the truth does not liberate us from any further obedience. It liberates us from the sin that separates us from Christ. It aids us in living in service to Christ, which will ultimately lead to eternal life.