True disciples!

“If you abide in My word, then you are truly My disciples;  and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” John 8:31-32

What is the difference between a true believer and a false believer? There will always be a mixture of the two in every true Church. Even the 12 apostles’, the first disciples, had a false believer, Judas Iscariot, in their midst. So how can you be sure that you truly belong to Him? Jesus gives us the answer, “If you abide in My word, then you are truly My disciples.” But what does it mean to abide in His Word?

To abide in His word is to obey all of the teachings of Christ. When we read the scriptures and obey them, we will know the truth, and that truth will make us free.   Believing in Jesus, obeying His Word, and knowing the truth brings us spiritual freedom. We are no longer slaves of sin or children of Satan. , We have God’s protection from the evil one (John 17:15). We are free from condemnation (Rom. 8:1), judgment (John 3:18), spiritual ignorance (8:12), and spiritual death .

Scripture repeatedly affirms that only those who obey Christ are truly His disciples:

” For whoever does the will of My Father    who is in heaven, he is My brother and  sister and mother…” (Matt. 12:50)

” If you love Me, you will keep My  commandments.” (John 14:15)

” He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” (John 14:21)

” If you keep My commandments, you will     abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love..” (John 15:10)

” You are My friends if you do what I command you.” (John 15:14)

“The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever keeps His word, truly in him the love of God has been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 6 the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked…”      (1 John 2:4–6)

“And the one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him.. (1 John 3:24)

For this is the love of God, that we keep His  commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.” (1 John 5:3)

Are you a true disciple? Do you abide in His word?       Do you know the truth?

Your shepherd,

Pastor Mark