For Sin Shall Not Have Dominion Over You For Ye Are Not Under the Law - Part 1006

"If ye continue in My Word," Jesus said, "[then] are ye My disciples indeed, and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31-32) A message often cited with Jesus' message in  John 14 wherein Jesus said, "If ye shall ask any thing in My name, I will do [it]. If ye love Me, keep My commandments." (John 14:14-15)

Note that this former message was spoken specifically to the Jews which believed on Him. (John 7:31; John 8:31; John 10:42) "If ye continue in My Word, then ye are My disciples indeed ..." (John 8:31-32) The same Word revealed to Thomas, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by Me. If ye had known Me, ye would have known My Father also, and from henceforth ye know Him and have seen Him." (John 14:6-7) And yes, the same Word that "was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth. ... For the law was given by Moses [but] grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." (John 1:14,17) His name being Jesus -- the only name given under heaven whereby we shall be saved.

But as we understand from John 8, the Jews struggled with His teaching.

Herein, they answered Jesus stating, -- "We be Abraham's seed and were never in any bondage to any man. "How sayest Thou, Ye shall be made free?" (John 8:33) Note Jesus' response.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you -- "Whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin and the servant abideth not in the house for ever, but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. I know that  ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill Me because My Word hath no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with My Father, and ye do that which ye have seen with your father." (John 8:34-38; Romans 6:14, 18, 22)

Earlier, Jesus had said to the Jews in the temple when they questioned His doctrine, "Did not Moses give you the law, and [yet] none of you keepeth the law?" (John 7:16-19)

Another aside from John the baptist, when he was preaching in the wilderness of Judaea said: "And think not to say within yourselves, "We have Abraham [our] father, for I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham." (Matthew 3:9) ""But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, even so [it is] now. Nevertheless, what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son -- for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the Son of the free-woman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free." (Galatians 4:28-31; Galatians 3:8, 22, 29; Acts 3:25; Genesis 21:9-12; John 8:35)

And again, further to this same point, "While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption, for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage -- for if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning." (II Peter 2:19)

But I digress somewhat. Returning to John 8, we read that the Jews answered and said unto Jesus, "Abraham is our father." Jesus saith unto them, "If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill Me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God -- this did not Abraham. Ye do the deeds of your father." (John 8:39-41)

Then said the Jews unto Him, "We be not born of fornication. We have one Father [even] God." (John 8:41)  The last part of John 8:41 is a confirmation of Isaiah's prophecy, which states: "Doubtless thou [art] our father, through Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not. Thou, O Lord, [art] our Father, our Redeemer, Thy name [is] from everlasting." (Isaiah 63:16)

Jesus said unto them, "If God were your Father, ye would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God. Neither came I of Myself but He that sent Me. Why do ye not understand my speech? [Even] because ye cannot hear My Word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth -- because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own, for he is a liar and the father of it.

And because I tell [you] the truth, ye believe Me not.  Which of you convinceth Me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe Me? He that is of God heareth God's words. Ye therefore hear [them] not, because ye are not of God."(John 8:42-47) "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." (Galatians 4:4-5)

This same message that Jesus spoke here in John 8 is repeatedly confirmed throughout the new testament. For example, "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and every one that loveth Him that begat loveth Him also that is begotten of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments and His commandments are not grievous." (I John 5:1-3)

This is why the Jews said unto him, "Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?" (John 8:48)  Jesus answered, "I have not a devil, but I honour My Father and ye do dishonour Me. And I seek not Mine own glory. There is one that seeketh and judgeth. Verily , verily, I say unto you -- if a man keep My saying, he shall never see death." (John 8:49-51; John 5:39-47)

Then said the Jews unto Him, "Now we know that Thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead and the prophets, and Thou sayest, If a man keep My saying, he shall never taste of death. Art Thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? And the prophets are dead. Whom makest Thou thyself?" (John 8:54-56)

Jesus answered, "If I honour Myself, my honour is nothing. It is My Father that honoureth Me, of whom ye say, that He is your God ... yet ye have not Him but I know Him, and if I should say, I know Him not, I shall be a liar like unto you, but I know Him and keep His saying. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw [it] and was glad."(John 8:54-56)

But the Jews still did not understand what Jesus was saying to them. Note the punchline here. Then said the Jews unto Jesus, "Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast Thou seen Abraham?" Jesus said unto them, "Verily, verily, I say unto you -- before Abraham was, I AM." (John 8:31-59)

Almighty God -- our heavenly Father -- of which His fullness dwelt bodily in Jesus the Christ. (Colossians 2:9) Let him that hath ears, hear. Stand in the offering plate with our Lord God and Saviour Jesus!