Are you in alignment with your assignment?

Are you in alignment with your assignment?

You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. – John 8:32

Galatians 5:1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

Galatians 5:13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.

1 Corinthians 9:19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.

“Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains” (Jean-Jacques Rousseau).

What is freedom?

Freedom is a mind-boggling gift from the Father that enables us to lead a fulfilling, joyful, and responsible life. The emphasis on responsibility is crucial because every liberty comes with a corresponding responsibility. These freedoms aren’t without limits or restrictions. Someone cannot yell “Fire!” in a crowded movie theater when there is no fire.

A distorted interpretation of freedom equates it to unrestrained behavior. Those embracing a licentious lifestyle suggest that they possess an inalienable right granted by God to act as they wish, when they wish, where they wish, and with whom they wish, devoid of any control or limitations (Timothy M. Dolan).

Jeremiah 9:24 But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the LORD who practices unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth and that I delight in these things. I, the LORD, have spoken!

The Father wants us to know and understand Him through a personal relationship. Once we recognize that the Father seeks a relationship with every child of the King, our working definition of freedom changes. True freedom is not simply about acting without restriction, but it’s about nurturing appropriate desires and aligning our lives with the Father’s plan. To put it differently, genuine freedom results when our desires coincide with the will of God.

The Father designed us to enter into and develop a relationship with Himself. He also created us to relate to those around us. Real freedom can be found in nurturing deep, healthy, close-knit relationships with both God and other individuals. Father has invited us to experience true freedom as we commit our lives to finding and fulfilling His plan for us. True freedom is found when we experience the life Lord Jesus Christ desires for us to live.

“Freedom means the opportunity to be what we never thought we would be” (Daniel J. Boorstin).

Let’s come back to our original question: What does it mean to be truly free?

The Father invites each one of us to experience the freedom that comes from committing our lives to His purpose for us and loving others. This is the only path to experiencing the rich life the Lord Jesus Christ wants us to live. Then, we are in alignment with His assignment for each of us.

REFLECT & PRAY

“True freedom is not the liberty to do anything we please, but the liberty to do what we ought; and it is genuine liberty because doing what we ought now pleases us” (D.A. Carson).

Father thank You that You invited me into a close personal relationship with You. As I draw close to You, I can experience true freedom.

INSIGHT

In a postmodern world, the hope of discovering absolute truth has been largely abandoned. Yet true freedom is tied to knowing the Truth. This presents a conundrum for those living in the 21st century. How can we be free without Truth? The Lord Jesus Christ makes an extraordinary claim.

John 8:32 You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

“There is a world of difference between knowing something to be true in your head and experiencing the reality in your life . . .. Truly knowing God only comes through experience as He reveals Himself to you through His word and as you relate to Him” (Blackaby). Lord Jesus Christ is not referring to truth in a philosophical or abstract way. The truth He speaks up is not information alone.

John 8:36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

It is instead a statement about a living relationship with the Son of God, “the truth,” who gives freedom to human beings (Borchert).

There is more than one Greek word that is translated as know. The Greek word in use here rendered as know is ginosko. Ginosko has the sense of coming to know, recognize, or perceive. Ginosko is experiential knowledge.

“Many people have grown up attending church and hearing about God all their lives, but they do not have a personal, dynamic, growing relationship with God. They never hear His voice. They have no idea what God’s will is. They do not encounter His love firsthand. They have no sense of divine purpose for their lives. They may know a lot about God, but they don’t really know Him. Merely knowing about God will leave you unsatisfied” (Blackaby).

The human race was created in order to have a relationship with God and our fellow humans. Authentic freedom resides in nurturing wholesome, intimate relationships with both the Father and others. Hence, the freedom inherent in an abundant life can only be experienced via these relationships. This is the Father’s original plan.

The Father extends an invitation to all of us to embrace the freedom that comes from committing our lives to His purpose for us and cherishing others through relationships. This is the only path to experiencing real freedom that the Lord Jesus Christ desires us to enjoy.

What does it mean to know the truth? There is a close parallel here between “you will know that I am” John 8:28 and you will know the truth in verse John 8:32. This truth is neither abstract nor propositional. It is personal. Jesus is the Truth (John 1:14; John 14:3). Knowing Him (John 8:28) = believing in Him (John 8:24) = knowing the truth (John 8:32). It is more than knowing some facts about the Lord Jesus Christ. It is knowing Him in an intimate, personal way. Such “knowing the Truth” is a primary characteristic of the child of the King (Bryant and Krause).

“Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought” (Pope John Paul II).

“There is a world of difference between knowing something to be true in your head and experiencing the reality in your life . . .. Truly knowing God only comes through experience as He reveals Himself to you through His word and as you relate to Him” (Blackaby).

“When Jesus said eternal life is knowing God – including God the Son, Jesus Christ – He did not mean that eternal life is knowing about God. He was not referring to someone who has read many books and attended numerous seminars about God. He was talking about a firsthand, experiential knowledge” (Blackaby).

When we initially accept Christ as our Savior, we are only introduced to Him. We do not fully know Him. Over time, we get to know Him better. The Lord Jesus Christ is unlike anyone we’ve ever known. There is no dark side to His character. There is no ugly side. He is not proud or selfish. There is no arrogance. His character is flawless. When we delve deeper into the Word, our understanding and knowledge of Him deepen as we connect with Him. We continually discover the magnificence of His character. (1 Peter 1:8; 2:7) (Richison).

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same” (Ronald Reagan).

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© Dr. H 2023