Living In Freedom John 8:31-36 Sunday the 14th

In this passage, Jesus is speaking with the religious leaders and Pharisees. In verse 30, we are told that many came to believe in Jesus. Then starting in verses 31-32, Jesus tells these new believers how to be His disciples truly. He tells them that to be disciples, they must abide in His Word, and if they do this, they will not only know the truth, but the truth will set them free. A relationship with Jesus begins when we believe in Him. The next step must lead to a lifetime of obedience to Jesus’ teaching. Only those who continue to believe and obey what He taught them would He consider to be His disciples. A disciple is not merely a student but a person who is saved. This becomes evident in the following verses (vs32-36). He will go on to explain that true disciples hold the role of “sonship” in God’s family, and then He contrasted those “sons” with “slaves” (v35). And He will explain that “slaves” are those who, because of the sin to which they are enslaved, do not remain in God’s family “unto the age” (the age to come; v34). As Christians, we must choose to live in our “sonship” or “live in our freedom” rather than be enslaved to sin.