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The Truth Will Set You Free

In the Gospel of John, the author records a statement from Jesus to the Jews who believed Him. If they abide in His word, they will know the truth, and the truth will set them free.

Therefore, Jesus said toward the Jews believing Him, “If you abide in My word, truly you are My disciples and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32

The response of the unbelieving Jews was to refute their need for freedom immediately. However, all those who sin are slaves to sin, John 8:33. The sin referred to here is not the acts of sin that a person does. Instead, it is specific to the sin nature of a person. All those doing sin (the act of lawlessness) are slaves to the sin [nature].

As the steward of our dispensation, Paul is given instructions on how to have victory over the sin nature. In Romans chapters six through seven, he writes of his experience with applying the doctrine of the truth in comparison to how the law works against the sin nature. Through this, we clearly understand what Jesus was referring to as the truth. The truth is a specific doctrine that frees a person from slavery to commit sin so that he is able to produce righteousness.

The first aspect of this doctrine is to know. Those who abide, feel at ease, in His word must know it.

Know that we have died with Christ and have been raised to walk in newness of life.

Or do you not know that as many as have been immersed into Christ Jesus, into His death have been immersed? Romans 6:3

Therefore, we have been buried with Him through the immersion into the death, in order that just as […]

The Truth Will Set You Free2024-05-05T13:07:49-07:00

The Fall of Cain

In Genesis 4:7, God instructs Cain concerning the rules of his household. After God rejected the work of Cain’s hands as an offering, Cain was very angry. In response, God lays out the rule by which Cain is expected to govern his life.

And if you do good, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do good, sin lies at the opening, and its desire is unto you, and you are to rule over it – Genesis 4:7.

This is the first time in Scripture we are introduced to the sin nature. The sin nature describes the human nature bent by Adam’s fall. Through Adam’s trespass and sin, his nature became bent towards doing what is wrong, for although Eve was thoroughly deceived, Adam was not, 1 Timothy 2:14. Adam passed on this bent nature to his offspring, Genesis 5:3. Therefore, even though as humans we now inherently possess the knowledge of good and evil, we are all born with a nature that is separated from God in our spirit and bent towards wrong. However, with this knowledge, we are also to rule over our nature, not permit it to rule over us.

After Cain does not heed God’s instructions and slayed his brother as a sacrifice, he was punished. The works of his hand will no longer produce good, and he is to wander the earth, never possessing a homeland to reside in. In Cain’s response, we again encounter the sin nature when he states, “My perversity is greater than I can bear.”

And Cain said to the LORD, “My perversity is greater than I can bear.” Genesis 4:13.

In Genesis 4:7, the word for sin is in a specific […]

The Fall of Cain2024-04-25T06:26:34-07:00

Might (κράτος)

Might (κράτος) expresses the ability of resident strength, the quality of being able.

When the exorcists of the ruling religious party attempted to rebuke a malignantly evil spirit by using Jesus’ name, for they had seen the Apostles doing this, the spirit responded by first stating that he has an intuitive knowledge of Paul but not of them. He then proceeded to strip them naked and sent them running. This caused great fear in the city of Ephesus, and the Word of the Lord grew in the region.

thus, according to the might of the Lord, the Word increased and became strong – Acts 19:20.

As Christians, our eyes are opened to the truth so that we may know the hope of His calling, the riches of the proper opinion of His inheritance among the saints, and the exceeding greatness of his inherent ability towards us according to the working of the might of His strength, Ephesians 1:18-19. Wicked hands crucified Christ. In response to such malignantly evil work, God the Father raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand. He is now over all authorities and is the head of the Church, which is the new creation God made in raising Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:17. This was a display of the resident strength of His inherent ability.

When it comes to battling Satan, we are not called to rebuke demons or to exercise authority over them; instead, we are instructed to stand firm against them by the strength we have in the Lord. For it is in the might of His strength that we have victory, Ephesians 6:10. Our battle is not physical – of flesh and blood. It […]

Might (κράτος)2024-04-11T05:42:22-07:00

Energize (ἐνέργεια)

Energize (ἐνέργεια) expresses the state or quality of being active.

When Paul communicated to God on behalf of the saints, he often expressed a desire for them to be given a spirit of wisdom and revelation in full experiential knowledge of Christ so that the eyes of their hearts are opened to the hope of His calling. With the heart open to see, we are able to discern the inherent ability of God that was working in the resurrection of Christ through the energizing of the might of His strength, Ephesians 1:19-20.

In the mystery of the Christ, which in past ages was not revealed but has now been declared by the Spirit and His holy apostles and prophets, we learn that the Gentiles are able to become fellow heirs, for God has made it possible for them to partake of the same body and, therefore, His promise in Christ. Paul was appointed the steward of this dispensation by the grace given to him according to the energizing of God’s inherent ability to bring the good news among the Gentiles of the unsearchable riches of the Christ, Ephesians 3:7-8.

God gave us apostles, evangelists, and pastors even teachers to bring us to a oneness of the faith so that we are no longer tossed around like inarticulate babblers. Instead, while speaking the truth in love, we can grow up in all things unto Christ, who is the head. For the whole body, being knit together, supplies each joint’s need according to the working of each part to edify itself, Ephesians 4:16.

Through the working of His inherent ability by which He can subdue all things, our bodies will be outwardly transformed to express a proper opinion […]

Energize (ἐνέργεια)2024-03-07T04:52:31-08:00

Fight (ἀγωνίζομαι)

In 1 Timothy 6:12, Paul encourages Timothy to fight the good fight of the faith. Fight (ἀγωνίζομαι) is a word that describes the struggle that an athlete has in striving to be the best in competition, 1 Corinthians 9:25. Unlike in a battle with Satan where we parlay (πάλη) against him by putting on the armor of God and standing firm, this struggle has to do with laying hold of eternal life; therefore, it involves the exercising of our senses to discern what is proper from what is wrong, Hebrews 5:14.

While Jesus was going through the cities and villages teaching on His way to Jerusalem, one of the disciples questioned Him concerning the number that would be saved, Luke 13:21. Jesus tells them that they are to struggle to enter through the narrow gate, not the way many will seek to enter, for those who do not enter through the narrow gate will not be able to find their way into the Kingdom of God, Luke 13:24. He then speaks of a time coming when the Master of the house will shut the door. All who are outside will not be permitted in, even though they claim to have eaten and drank in His presence while He taught. Jesus is the only way, and all those who seek salvation through other means will not find it, John 14:6.

Near the end of Paul’s life, while giving instructions to Timothy regarding the duties of a Pastor, he writes that he has struggled the proper struggle, for he guarded the faith, 2 Timothy 4:7. The faith Paul refers to is the doctrine concerning the good news of the Christ. Through Christ’s death for our sins, burial, and resurrection […]

Fight (ἀγωνίζομαι)2023-12-14T07:53:43-08:00
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