Getting It Right
and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. John 8:32 NASB
Know – The Greek verb, ginosko, is frequent and clear. It describes comprehension that results from examining objects with every human mode of knowing. This means using logic, the senses, investigation, sorting the evidence and verifying conclusions. In Greek thought, there is no more important way of knowing than this interrogation of reality. It is unacceptable to say, “God told me,” unless there are external, public means of verifying the claim. Thanks to Plato, truth is more or less the external justification process behind any knowledge claim.
But does this make me free? That has not been my experience. Perhaps you too have noticed that evidence collected in the pursuit of getting it right doesn’t seem to make much difference when it comes to public dialogue. What I mean is that far too often I have discovered “evidence” is a matter of perspective rather than some sort of hard reality. “Facts” appear differently when viewed from alternative perspectives. We laugh about this when we see the debate concerning global warming, but when it comes to theology, it’s hardly a laughing matter. People have been burned at the stake for seeing differently. It seems that knowing the truth often means incarceration, torture, rejection and death. Even Yeshua, who obviously knew the truth, suffered greatly for it.
Perhaps what he meant is that we could experience a sort of liberation of the soul. Perhaps it’s about not feeling compelled to submit or about a clear vision of reality that provides internal confirmation. The Greek term is eleutherosei, the future, active tense of the root eleutheroo. Since it’s future, maybe what he meant is that at some time the truth will make you free—but not now. Now the truth brings affliction (or so it seems). Maybe we make too much of the idea that the truth will liberate us from all forms of tyranny today. It seems unlikely that Yeshua has the Greek idea of freedom in mind. In Greek, freedom is primarily understood in opposition to slavery. At the communal level, it is about political liberty and security from external forces. But the Tanakh doesn’t view freedom in this way. God is always sovereign. You and I are called to be servants, not masters. We will always be in submission to either the reign of the self or the reign of the Lord. In fact, the law (Torah) is the only means of true freedom, and that does not include the idea of personal independence and self-determination. The truth that makes us free is the truth that God is in charge and we have a debt to pay to Him.
Of course, the real issue for most of us is self-control. That does not mean control of my actions and appetites. That means exercising the option to determine for myself what my purpose and plans really are. Self-control is the epitome of slavery, according to the Tanakh. So perhaps what Yeshua meant is that the truth of God’s sovereignty alters my reality and I see life as the fulfillment of His purposes. That might be freedom, even if it means suffering. Maybe then we will get it right.
Topical Index: free, truth, eleutheroo, ginosko, know, John 8:32
Thank you, Skip. This is good.
I believe that truth is the only thing that can support itself independently, free from all other support. Truth is its own justification. Falsehood always needs shoring up, and the.justifications needed for it are endless.
What the truth does for me is to return for me my REAL choices, which falsehood either concealed or denied me. When I can believe the truth, my choices are clear and not one is missing. I can see clearly what I need, and what to do about it: not because I can really SEE the truth, of course, but because I have made a choice to believe IN the truth. I think there is a difference.
In the beginning, I think the truth was as plain as the nose on our faces, and YHVH’s instructions matched what we understood. Then there was the Tree. After that, we found ourselves flailing blindly in the dark and subject to anything and everything that made us afraid, and YHVH’s instructions had to be taken on faith because we could not see how they matched what we thought was real (the paradigm problem). Not free! This is why we are told that faith, for us, is not optional: not because of the inherent nature of God, I think, but because we have an eyesight problem right now. Truth, for us right now, is conditional upon faith, because it cannot be seen for what it really is. This is why there are no ‘proofs’ of God’s existence, for example, and also why ‘proof texts’ are likewise non sequiturs because all Scripture must be taken on faith now that sin has blinded us all.
“Self control is the epitome of slavery.” I concur, but I believe this is because self control is an illusion based upon an entire raft of lies which we bought, hook line and sinker, from the snake down at the corner Tree and have been stuck in ever since (along with an endless need for the confirmation bias that falsehood also requires).
We are told that when the Truth shows up, every mouth will be shut. I believe this is because nothing will need to be explained, and there will be no room for any justifications, but that there will also not be any of our current choices (as defined by that Tree, anyway) left, either. Truth has a way of freeing us to the choices we have already made, either by faith or by fear. We have to accept the truth right now by faith, for the darkness that faith in the truth operates in also provides the cover for grace to operate in, too. The righteous and wicked alike groan under the weight of that grace that is holding all of us back from the full reward we have been choosing, for the day we all are freed by the full revelation (apocalypse) of the Truth, there will be no choice (between “good and evil” provided by – as well as limited by – that Tree, anyway) left. Freedom (of choice) in this world can only be obtained by faith in the truth, but freedom to collect the entire fruit of those choices is reserved for the end of this world. What our choices will look like, sans that Tree, none of us can really know, even though I believe that we will still have the freedom to choose love (but that is another topic!).
Freedom, I am fully convinced, is not only about the opportunity to see my full range of choices (which my faith in the truth about love provides for me), but is also about the unfettered, unmitigated connection between what I have chosen and what I get (reward). Right now, none of us are seeing that. We are all being buffered from it, but that buffer is what is continuing to provide us with that opportunity to choose. Right now, our freedom is conditional upon our actions based on faith in the truth (this is why a sinner is not free). The day of true freedom (salvation) is coming, but we have been warned that the Day of the Lord (embodied Truth) is going to be an apocalypse. The other side of the day of salvation coin is that it is payday for everybody, then. Everyone is free then to collect their reward; the fruit of their choices, either “everlasting life” or “everlasting death”. Right now, we only get to enjoy that salvation by faith; by proxy, if you will. Real fruit day is later.
Truth, like freedom, is not what we think it is. Of that, I am convinced, but I am still clawing my way through all those illusions. Thank you for being patient with my muddled muttering, here.
Cliff notes for above: Skip is right. Truth is VERY unpopular on this planet, and the pure truth has to be dragged out of us, kicking and screaming, for we tend to burn truth at stakes. BUT, believing in the truth returns me to the freedom of my full range of choices. The freedom to enjoy (or endure) the full fruit of those choices is being kept from us by grace, I am convinced, until the end of the age. This ambiguity, however, is also what is continuing to provide us with the opportunity to choose the choices (between good and evil) that the Garden Tree is currently limiting us to. May we take this opportunity to exercise our faith in the truth so as to break free from our slavery (limitation of real choice) to sin!
“It seems that knowing the truth often means incarceration, torture, rejection and death. Even Yeshua, who obviously knew the truth, suffered greatly for it.”
Twice in my life I have been charged with having committed a technical offense against the state and both times I considered it unjust. A third time I was threatened with a charge but it was dropped. I sound kinda like a bad guy, don’t I? One judge accepted my version of the truth and dismissed the charge and in the other case where I was found guilty it was overthrown on appeal. I was absolutely “free.” In each case the consequences of the offenses were not burdensome but I was not prepared to accept either the accusation or the conviction because I knew the truth and defended myself without a lawyer even at appeal.
This is most definitely not “the truth of God’s sovereignty” but access to this web site can many times bring about a similar feeling of freedom; the freedom of open and honest discussion, consideration, and deliberation in order to help us find God’s truth and get it right. I need to fight for true freedom every day. Keep up the good fight Skip and help us find it and fight for it. Shabbat shalom.
~ You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever ~
He, (the One who is Truth Incarnate) said, “I AM the Truth..” Friend, the Truth is a Person. Pilate asked “What is truth?” How very strange, “Truth” was standing right in front of him!! ~ If the Son (the One who is Truth Incarnate) shall make you free, — you shall be free indeed ~ (John 8.36)
He, (the Son of God AND the son of man) IS the Way-the-Truth-and the Life. Whoever has the Son has life and whoever does not have the Son does not have life!! What does it mean to be “redeemed?” – and we might also ask directly behind this – Who is our (Heaven-sent) Redeemer? It is the LORD, the One called (the) Christ.
Whose words are these? “That I may know (yes, ginosko!) Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death..”
The whole enchilada centers around Christ!! All of it. Every jot and tittle of it. Christ is the center. Christ is the compass. Christ is the Conqueror. All books of our Bible reveal a Person. (Yes) “search the scriptures!” — please do!! But remember!! — These are they that testify of Me!!
One more item to add. He, the One who Isaiah prophesied would be wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities, the One whose stripes have healed us is alive forevermore.. He now ever lives to make intercession for us.
“Holiness is NOT the way to Christ!! – Christ IS the Way to holiness!”
~ for of Him and through Him and to Him are (?) – all things..~ [all things that pertain unto life and godliness..]
Carl. Now to consider your comment we can claim the truth is Christ refers to humans becoming servants as depicted throughout the bible. Or we can claim one unique entity 2000 plus years ago being the centre point of the bible. Or we can claim that one individual 5000 plus years ago as the mediator of the truth and Jesus the reinforcer thereof. Or we can claim three distinct eras in God interaction with man and we toy around with words trying to make an event of 2000 years ago relevant to bringing us closer to God. All this resulting in confusion on why God created heaven and earth and our purpose on earth in this specific timeslot. As Skip said that all would depend on our own perception of the records available for us.
I agree that the complete scriptures just bare witness or evidence of Christ.
Who or what this Christ represents will differ from every individual depending on the individual’s acceptance of the available records.
Torah in action in our life sets us free from the world and this action of faith overcomes the world. Is Torah now, Ten Commandments, 613 Laws, 3 specific requirements (Micah text) or is it 10 words… Love God above all and your neighbour like your self. As proclaimed by Jesus. This truth will set us free…
THE TRUTH IN SYNC
Skip, your last paragraph about the “fulfillment of His purposes”
is in perfect sync with the last sentence of today’s Oswald Chambers
offering. It states: “God is working in us to reach His highest goals
until His purpose and our purpose become one.”
Therein lies the truth.
There are many truths from the scripture that I acknowledge as truth but do not really hold as truth in my core beliefs. Core beliefs are what drive my behavior and reactions to life experiences. For me, this scripture is fulfilled every time God reveals one of these truths in such a way that i accept it into my core beliefs. For example, I have know from a small child that God is in control. However, when I lost my job of 29 years, I suffered a severe anxiety attack. After a week of thinking I could not make it, I finally confessed to God that I was out of control to which I receive the truth that “you have never been in control.” In that moment, my anxiety immediately left and a burden I’ve carried unnecessarily for many years was lifted. It has changed my life; no more anxiety and fear about what tomorrow holds. I have several experiences where truth was revealed, and every time it has brought life change for me. John 8:32 has become one of my favorite passages. Thanks for the reminder today!
Good points all, but I have to say that the ‘debate’ over climate change is NO laughing matter, Skip. It’s a question of stewardship of this good Earth, of morality, of Micah 6:8.
You’re right. Perhaps what I should have said is that the media’s attempt to present the evidence is comical.
How TRUE, this-
“…..far too often I have discovered “evidence” is a matter of perspective rather than some sort of hard reality. “Facts” appear differently when viewed from alternative perspectives.”
And, this-
“… the law (Torah) is the only means of true freedom, and that does not include the idea of personal independence and self-determination.”
And, this-
“God is always sovereign. You and I are called to be servants, not masters.”
“God is in charge and we have a debt to pay to Him.”
Have a joyful Shabbat!
Skip, some time ago I remember you mentioned doing a new recording of your lecture series, Living the Biblical Worldview. Was that ever accomplished? Is it the old or an updated version that’s offered on the resource page?
the video series is still in editing. I will see how long it will take.
Well said, Skip. Pertinent always but maybe particularly so in this week after the US elections.