31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.
32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.
35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.
36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
believed (v. 31) — Not true faith, just a certain acknowledgment of what Jesus was saying
Christ is the Truth (v.32) and the key to all Truth of God. He alone can make us free of sin. Because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel (Colossians 1:5).
never been in bondage (v. 33) — This was a false boast. They were certainly in bondage to Rome — and to sin, pride and self-sufficiency
whoever (v. 34) — every person in his or her natural condition.
slave does not abide in the house forever (v. 35) — a slave/servant has no permanent standing, but once a son, always a son — and the Son of God has an eternal place in God’s family. The Jews claimed that they were the seed of Abraham and, therefore, in God’s family — but Jesus said that, just because they were Abraham’s natural descendants, that gave them no title to spiritual blessings.
free indeed (v. 36) — only the Son can make us free from bondage to sin. To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life (Luke 1:74-75).
Continuance in God’s Word is not a condition of discipleship, but a manifestation of it. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us (1 John 2:19).
There are four things about themselves which are particularly hateful, because so humbling, to the unregenerate. First, that they are destitute of righteousness (Isaiah 64:6) and goodness (Romans 7:18), and therefore “unclean” (Isaiah 64:6) and “vile” (Job 40:4). Second, that they are destitute of wisdom (Romans 3:11) and therefore full of “vanity” (Psalm 39:5) and “foolishness” (Proverbs 22:15). Third, that they are destitute of “strength” (Romans 5:6) and “power” (Isaiah 40:29), and therefore unable to do anything good of or from themselves (John 15:5). Fourth, that they are destitute of freedom (Isaiah 61:1), and therefore in a state of bondage (2 Peter 2:19). — Pink, page 41
__________
Here is one thing which distinguishes the Christian from the non-Christian. The Christian sins, and sins daily; but the non-Christian does nothing but sin. The Christian sins, but he … does good works and brings forth the fruit of the Spirit. But the life of the unregenerate man is one unbroken course of sin. — Pink, page 42-43
This entry was posted in John. Bookmark the permalink.
