John 8:31-36
Truth is taking a heavy beating these days. In reality it always has but it seems this is especially the case of late. Call it what you want: alternative facts, political spin, disinformation and the list goes on. What they do is work to hide or discredit what is the truth. Call it what you want but a lie is still a lie. If you want to use theological language, a sin is still a sin. The refusal to seek the truth will continue to keep us bound, not free.
Disinformation/political spin/alternative facts are used by the powerful to keep us in the bondage of division, to their advantage. Disinformation/political spin/alternative facts reinforce the suspicions we carry toward others and push us into the heinous acts of hate. Disinformation/political spin/alternative facts convince us that what we know to be good is actually bad. They convince us that what we know to be evil is righteous. Without truth, there is only bondage. Without truth, there is no freedom.
The reading from the gospel of John tells of Jesus and the Jews having a rather sharp debate over the truth about being children of God. We first need to remember that Jesus was also Jewish and so this was more of a “family” argument and they can get nasty. Secondly, verses like these have been used to define Jews as the evil enemy and used as justification for persecution. This is a lie.
Jesus said,
If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.
John 8:31
Those present declared their lineage to be from Abraham and so they have never been in bondage. A preposterous statement since their land was currently under the bondage to Roman authority. Jesus spoke of ‘continuing in his word.’ His word gave an honest definition of the truth regarding justice, peace and sin. Freedom will not come when justice denied is hidden under lies. Peace brought about under the threat of violence is not true peace. This is bondage, not freedom. Sin is more than doing something defined as ‘bad.’ Sin is defiance/rebellion against the ways of justice and peace God calls out for us to live. We won’t have freedom until we truthfully look at how we participate in the injustice and violence of this world.
The truth is taking a beating these days. Disinformation and spin are keeping us in bondage. Jesus calls out for us to continue in his word to learn the ways of God’s rule. The result is we will learn what is justice and peace from God’s perspective. In the end, we’ll know the truth that leads to freedom.
Peace.