Who gives freedom?

Freedom

An interesting conversation took place in our home last week.  My oldest son is investigating gyms to join when he moves down to LA at the end of the summer.  One of them is owned by a gentleman who uses language similar to ours in describing his worldview.  However if you really look closely at what he says, it sounds good but his foundation(truth) is not Jesus.  So the question was asked, is truth real if it’s not founded in God?   And can you live your life based on “truth” that’s not founded in God?

I guess in order to proceed here I have to lay out that God as spoken of and displayed in the Bible is the only place where I believe truth is found.  That His son Jesus is a real person (without sin) who died a real death on a cross and really came back to life so that my/our sins could be forgiven.

Ok, that’s done.  Moving on…

In John 8:31-36 Jesus makes it clear that as God’s son he is able to invite people into his family just because he is the son.  And that if we abide in his (Jesus) words we will know the truth and the truth will set us free, as a part of his family.

What is this truth that sets us free?  Later on in John 14 Jesus says he is the way, the “truth” and the life.  He also says that no one comes to the Father except through him.  Lets flesh this out a little…

If Jesus IS the truth, and no one comes to the father except through him then belief in Jesus is how we begin to attain freedom and relationship with the Father…supremely simple, yet so difficult for many of us to believe.  Jesus is the doorway to the “new” life we long for and he is the ONLY doorway.  I don’t know any other way to say it -  God through Jesus invites us into his family so that we can find freedom.  That is the “truth” that he wants to impart to us.

The cool thing about being a part of Jesus family is that because he is the son and we know him we can also know the Father (John 14:7)  I am telling you that relationship is where it is at!  (regardless how how well or poorly you think you do it).  Because we know Jesus we know the Father and have relationship with him.  As I’ve said before freedom is found through relationship.  And relationship with Jesus is the first place that freedom starts.  We have the ability through belief and faith to come to a place of trust that our relationship with Jesus is the starting point for the release of something we’ve never had in our lives.  Recognition of this is key for the achievement of freedom.  Not that freedom is the goal; but as you walk through this journey you will find that relationship is actually the goal and that as you come to know Jesus and the Father freedom is a byproduct of the relationship.  Jesus says later in John 14 that anything we ask in his name he will do so that the Father is glorified.  I know that means all kinds of things (signs and wonders, etc…) but I believe that if we also ask in his name for freedom in our lives that is amazingly glorifying to the Father because it testifies to his goodness just as much as if we see someone get physically healed.  And many times it is a testimony to others (the power of the spoken word) that builds up their own faith.   In order for our relationships to go deeper and be more intimate we look for ways to connect with the other person.  Our relationship with Jesus is no different…I want to connect my heart to his and I am often confronted with the fact that because he is so good and I am not in many areas, I need him to help me change so that the connection can be complete.

Jesus is the truth!

Knowing the truth happens through relationship!

Freedom comes through relationship!

Jesus gives freedom!

Freedom glorifies the Father!

The Father is revealed!  Hallelujah!

I am so in love with Jesus and I absolutely love it when the Father is revealed…He is so good…Let’s manifest his goodness through choosing the freedom that he longs to give us!