Section One: The Spiritual Characteristics of a Godly Life.

Our current theme: Characteristic Four: Being A Warrior.                                           

Our reading for today: John 8: 31-38 (MsgB)

Then Jesus turned to the Jews who had claimed to believe in Him. “If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are My disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you.” Surprised, they said, “But we’re descendants of Abraham. We’ve never been slaves to anyone. How can you say, ‘The truth will free you’?” Jesus said, “I tell you most solemnly that anyone who chooses a life of sin is trapped in a dead-end life and is, in fact, a slave. A slave is a transient, who can’t come and go at will. The Son, though, has an established position, the run of the house. So if the Son sets you free, you are free through and through.

Living in today’s permissive society, it might be easy for some to wonder if there is such a thing anymore as Absolute Truth. In an environment where one man’s “truth” is another man’s lie, it’s common for many to echo the burning question of the Roman leader, Pontius Pilate, when he was interrogating Jesus of Nazareth (John 18: 38)…

“What is truth?”

Just as it was during the reign of the Roman Empire, so it is today. There are numerous voices out there, all claiming to speak for the truth. But sadly, in a world where truth has become a subjective matter, it’s often difficult for a person to discern the difference between truth, a half-truth, and a blatant lie.

If one chooses to view the Bible as a source of truth, it clearly states that Truth is not a subjective thought or some agreed-upon statement, but it is an actual person or entity…a living being that dwells at the center of the universe. In John’s Gospel (John 3: 33) it states that God, Himself, is Truth (John 3: 33), and later, John writes that the Holy Spirit is “The Spirit of Truth” (John 14: 17, John 15: 26 & John 16: 13). Finally, in a statement that some believe was the very reason He was crucified, Jesus of Nazareth is quoted as proclaiming Himself as “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14: 6)!

Throughout human history, truth and logic have gone hand and hand. And the great Christian thinker, C.S. Lewis, wrote this logical statement about Jesus’ bold claim to being equal to God…

“A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic–on the level with a man who says he is a poached egg–or He would be the devil of hell. You must take your choice. Either this was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us.”  Mere Christianity

So, if logic and truth point us toward the fact that Jesus is indeed equal to the Author of Truth, then the Master’s amazing statement (in today’s passage) about what happens to His followers as we journey with Him through this life, is vitally important in our on-going conversations about true Christian discipleship!

“If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are My disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you.”

Hmm.

No wonder Paul begins his list (Ephesians 6: 10-18) of the six vitally important tools (pieces of armor) for the Christian disciple with the Belt of Truth!

You see, whether our current society wants to believe this or not, Truth, when wrapped about our mid-section, is a core component for any person who ever hopes to make a real, positive difference in the world. History shows us that lies and half-truths just won’t cut it for long, and over time, only real Truth remains.

So this week, let’s look at the great need for Absolute Truth to be at the gut-center of our Christian lives. And let’s also explore this amazing promise that Jesus makes…that Truth, as experienced by those who follow Him, can actually set us on a path toward freedom; a freedom that is apparently available nowhere on earth outside of the presence of the Author of Truth, Himself…Jesus of Nazareth!

Now, truthfully, that sounds pretty exciting, doesn’t it?

My prayer: Jesus, Your statements about Yourself and about Truth are very strong and definitive. In a generation where truth has become fairly subjective, I choose to believe that Your Truth is an Absolute Truth, which will remain forever! Holy Spirit, free me to believe. For Your name’s sake. Amen.

My questions to ponder: So truthfully, where am I today in relationship to Absolute Truth? Am I a seeker of Truth or have I become lazy and complacent with my discernment practices, allowing truth, half-truths, and blatant lies to blend together into a subjective soup of nothingness?

So what is God speaking to you today as we attempt to live the Christ-centered life?

Over a thirty-six week period, you and I will take a deeper look into twelve key characteristics of a godly life. In other words, we’ll take A Journey into Christian Discipleship. In order to keep all the blog sessions organized, we suggest you bookmark our Journey home page for ease of use. ENJOY!

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