I want to continue to discuss the word “disciple.” In John 8:31-32 we read…
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
First I want to point out that Jesus is talking to people who already believed in Him. They had faith in Jesus. They had put their trust in Jesus. That belief was not enough to satisfy Jesus. Having faith in Jesus was not enough to classify someone as one of His disciples. He tells these believers that you must “hold to my teaching” if you truly want to be my disciples.
So what does “hold to my teaching” mean? The Greek word translated “hold” is the word meno. According to Strong’s Greek Dictionary meno means “to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy):—abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, tarry.”
- We are to stay in relationship with Jesus’ teachings.
- We are to abide or continue in Jesus’ instructions.
- We are to remain always in the Bible.
I don’t think hearing the Bible once a week at church is what Jesus is talking about. I don’t think He is even talking about memorizing the Scriptures. Abiding, continuing, enduring, holding – these all convey the idea that “holding” to Jesus’ teachings requires ongoing effort. We need to remain in Jesus’ teachings in every aspect of our lives. We need to hang on to His Word through every situation we encounter.
So, when Jesus’ teachings are with us in every aspect of life, He calls us His “disciples.” That is the word used most frequently in the Bible to denote those who follow Jesus. Then He offers an incredible promise to those who are His disciples. We “will know the truth and the truth will set [us] free.” Thus, by holding to Jesus teachings, we learn the truth that brings freedom. In verses 34-37, Jesus clarifies that He offers freedom from sin.
In the next post I will look at that offer of freedom more closely. But I will close with the impact of Jesus’ teachings on my life. I have held onto Jesus’ teachings for over 25 years. As I have abided in Jesus, He has set me free from lying, envy, low self-esteem, perfectionism, self-righteousness, and much of the darkness that comes with depression. I’m not saying these are never in my life, but they certainly no longer control me. (There are also still areas that I have not experienced complete freedom.) What about you? What has Jesus freed you from?
yes, that constant "abiding" is challenging...good thing He welcomes us back after each hiatus we foolishly take! If only we could remember (and really believe)that "less of self, more of Him" actually translates into more blessing.
ReplyDeleteJohn 8:31 is a verse that has great meaning for me.
ReplyDeleteIn March of 1991, I was a 3rd year Engineering student. I had been attending Bible discussions on campus.
I was deciding if I could accept God's word, having beed raised agnostic.
I was meditating on John 8: 31 If you hold to MY bteaching ... you WILL KNOW the truth ....
I chose to put this verse to the test. I chose to stop. No more pursuit of an immoral relationship, no more drunkenness, no more offensive language.
Within a few hours, I believed. I believed the Bible is trustworthy, I believed in eternal life, I believed that God created the heavens and the earth.
That evening, I spoke to my campus minister and asked if he would continue studying the Bible with me. We talked about sin and the forgiveness that Jesus bought for us.
4 days later, march 17, 1991, I was baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of my sins.
This verse has proven to be true over and over. As I hold to Christ's teaching I gain deeper insights into the truth.
I urge anyone who is doubtful to examine Christ's teachings and hold to them.
Thanks, Jake. I went through a similar experience. I was athiestic by the time I started to look at the Bible. I only even started looking because I found a group of Christians that actually lived what they believed. When I decided to "hold" to Jesus' teachings, I also experienced validation that the Bible is God's Word and made a decision to follow HIm and be baptized.
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