(John 8:31-32)…..Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
The promise of Jesus is clear: the end result of staying in His Word will be freedom. So, if you are not becoming more free, you need to examine if you are accurate in your understanding of the Word of God. The KJV translation uses the word continue instead of the word abide in this passage, but whether the Greek word is translated as continue, abide, or remain, the meaning is clear. You need to stick with the Word; not stop and start; not try it for awhile; but jump in with both feet and stay there. I can hear the question already, “What do you mean by freedom, pastor?” Freedom from having to sin. Freedom from fear. Freedom from worry. Freedom from doubt. Freedom from strife. Freedom from confusion. Freedom from oppression. And so on. Yet, time is be involved before those who truly follow Christ can see the full result of the freedom His Word can produce in our lives.
If you continue….
If you abide….
If you live in….
If you remain in….
Don’t forget the “IF.” And don’t forget the “CONTINUE.” This Scripture promise is NOT for everyone who claims to be a Christian. Only for those who are willing to spend the time and effort required to feed on God’s Word.