Know the Truth

This photo depicts a person who is chained -- a captive -- a person who is enslaved.  No one chooses to be a captive -- or, do they?

Verses in 2 Timothy 3 describe how men and women will behave in the last days - things like being "lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, unholy..." and a host of other ungodly traits.  Then, it goes on to say, "For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."

Here we have a picture of captive women who fail to learn and know the truth, fail to make truth part of who they are.

On the other hand, Jesus tells us, "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" John 8:32.  What does it mean to "know" the truth?  Well, it doesn't say that you shall "hear" the truth and it will make you free, nor does it say you shall "read" the truth and it will make you free.  Rather, Jesus specifically says that you shall "know" the truth and it will make you free.  What does it mean to "know" a thing?

The definition of KNOW is:  to perceive or understand clearly and with certainty.  In scripture, the word is sometimes used to describe an intimate physical act between man and woman.  In other words, to "know" a thing as Jesus describes produces a deep, intimate belief and understanding that is powerful and life-changing.  It's not just head knowledge, but seeps into being heart knowledge.

Knowing the truth will make you free.  Free from what?  Free from whatever lie Satan has been feeding you to keep you chained to him.  Satan is the father of lies and he is a master of persuasion and perversion.  What sort of lies has Satan (or more likely, his minions) been feeding you?  The list of lies he spreads could fill a library of books.

So, what is this truth that will make you free?  The truth is simple -- Jesus loves you.  It's so simple that the well-known children's song is sung by children all over the world.  "Jesus loves me, this I know; for the Bible tells me so...."  Notice, that even children can "know" that Jesus loves them. 

Knowing the truth will make you free indeed.  I choose freedom.


Photo notation:  I took the photo of a statue of a woman chained to a stake on the Island of Bermuda.  The statue represents Sally Bassett, a slave who was convicted of murder in June 1730.  She was tried on "suspicion of poisoning several persons."  Although Sally maintained her innocence, she was still burned at the stake.