So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
— John 8:31-32
There’s an interesting aspect to this well-known passage which is often overlooked. I think it’s easy to simply focus our attention on v32, but if we pay attention to the context of the passage, we notice that v32 is actually the tail end of a sentence that begins in v31. So, to be faithful to the intent of Holy Scripture, we must digest the truth in v31 as intrinsic to v32. In other words, we cannot simply emphasize v32 (aka the “juicy” part) without anchoring it in the content and meaning of v31.
Reading for context in the Bible begins with reading whole sentences, not just single verses. This strategy for seeking Truth persists beyond mere sentences, of course, but sentences are the basic building blocks of human expression, linguistically.
A sentence is a set of words that in principle tells a complete thought (although it may make little sense taken in isolation out of context).
— Wikipedia
While it may be convenient for the human flesh to break up Biblical sentences, it is extremely hazardous to the prospect of finding Truth. In the case of John 8:31-32, there’s a key word that unlocks much of the intended meaning of the sentence, as Jesus was refuting the prevailing Jewish belief at the time that physical lineage tracing back to Abraham was enough to secure salvation. That key word is “if.” This small word has eternal weight. Jesus did not want a false sense of security to exist in the souls of those who had “believed him” (v31). In essence, He was putting their faith to the test “for he himself knew what was in man” (John 2:25).
The Bible teaches there’s such a thing as spurious faith. Just because a person says they believe in Jesus doesn’t mean they are actually saved. Do not make the mistake of taking verses of Holy Scripture out of context, confusing holy “confession” (the Greek word is homologeo, which means to say the same thing as God) with spurious belief/faith.
By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.
Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
— 1 John 4:2-3, 15
In context of this passage, are we able to say that confession implies salvation? Indeed. Yet, in John 8:31-32, Jesus openly challenges the belief of His own disciples (disciple simply means an adherent to teaching - it doesn’t imply true belief out of context). The question is how does the Bible differentiate between mere proclamation and true belief? According to Jesus and His apostles, it is by one’s fruit.
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
— John 15:4-5
The Bible demands obedience, the telltale sign of true conversion and the hallmark of a saved person (this is why unbelievers are referred to as “sons of disobedience” - Ephesians 2:2). For example, I was just reading of Charles Templeton, a famous Christian preacher associated with Billy Graham in his earlier ministry who apostatized, denounced Christ, and became an agnostic, embracing atheism before his death. Did Mr. Templeton claim to believe in Jesus Christ as his Savior at some point? Indeed. Apparently, though, his faith wasn’t sealed by God, as a saved person persists in their faith until the day they die. This is God’s undeniable purpose. To say He cannot fulfill this purpose is to imply He is impotent.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
— Isaiah 55:8-11
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
— Philippians 1:6
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
— Ephesians 2:10
The Truth, according to Holy Scripture, is that a saved person bears good fruit. For believers, this is incredibly good news because bearing good fruit implies blessings to the soul! The miracle of salvation is that God has made us new creatures in Christ Jesus who glorify Him in time, “created in Christ Jesus for good works” (v10). God is pleased with His own work in us - He has never failed in His own good labor.
Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
— 1 John 3:18-24
Coming full circle now...the hefty “if” in John 8:31 is a challenge to those whose faith has yet to be tested (faith must be tested for it to be consummated - see James 1-2). For those who are convicted of their salvation, this “if” is music to the ears! Freedom in Christ, the guaranteed result of understanding the Truth, is the greatest blessing of all once a person is saved. What is impossible for an unbeliever with spurious faith is expected for a believer!
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?”
But we have the mind of Christ.
— 1 Corinthians 2:14-16
Jesus Christ is “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). To have His mind is to have His Truth. To have His Truth is to be set free. It all depends on a little word, “if”. For a true believer in Christ, this little word is supremely encouraging.
Love in Christ,
Ed Collins
