John 8: 31-32

"Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, 'If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free'" (John 8:31-32).

Comment:

This is the very beginning of a long debate between Jesus and "the Jews who had believed in him" that carries through the rest of Chapter 8. We know exactly where we are: "Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them" (8:2). He is at about the midpoint of his earthly ministry, and some of the Jewish followers he has attracted are concerned about the relationship between his message and the Jewish faith and traditions they practiced. They get into distinctions between father (Abraham) and Father (God), and they get a bit confused along the way. But really Jesus' entire point is contained in this specific verse. If they continue to believe in the Truth of individual divinity, which he has been teaching, everything else will fall into place. They will "know the truth"—that is, they will experience the kingdom consciousness he is teaching—and in that kingdom experience they will be totally free from dualistic concepts of lack and limitation. What's striking, I think, is the absolute promise and the direct correlation. There is nothing to prove, nothing to study, no tests to pass. It's much simpler than that—simpler, certainly, than the more intricate practices of their Jewish faith. And the same promise holds for us as well. If we begin to live our lives as the divine beings we are, that divine energy will become our life experience. And that experience will then deepen and expand our understanding of the Truth that it is truly within our power to create the kingdom of heaven.

Blessings!

Rev. Ed