John 8:31-32 - Homilies By B. Thomas

True Christian discipleship.

I. IN ITS CONDITIONS . These are:

1 . The possession of Christ ' s Word.

2 . A vital possession of Christ ' s Word. The possession is not merely outward and intellectual, but inward and spiritual. The Word must be in the soul, and the soul in the Word. Christ is in the Christian, and the Christian is in Christ. Christ's Word is in his disciple, and the disciple is in his Word. Both mean the same, only in the latter prominence is given to the Word. This implies:

3 . An abiding possession of Christ ' s Word. "If ye abide," etc.

II. IN ITS BLESSED RESULTS . There are:

1 . Knowledge of the truth.

2 . Spiritual freedom.

(a) The truth is the efficient means of spiritual freedom. It is based on and produced by the great facts of redemption.

(b) The truth is the efficient incentive to spiritual freedom. The revelation of sin, in its enormity, debasing effects, and ultimate consequences, and the revelation of God's loving, costly, and self-sacrificing provisions for sinners, are calculated to inspire the captive soul to struggle for and accept the offered liberty.

(c) The truth experimentally known brings the fact of spiritual freedom to the consciousness. No sooner the facts of redemption, such as justification, forgiveness, and reconciliation by faith, are experimentally known than the soul begins to realize in itself the blessings of spiritual freedom. Christ lives in the disciple's consciousness, and he feels that he is a subject of the spiritual empire and a free born citizen of the new Jerusalem.

LESSONS .

1 . The weakest faith has the sympathy and care of Jesus. The faith of these Jews was very weak and imperfect, hence this address to them. He despised not the day of small things—"A bruised reed shall he not break," etc.

2 . The weakest faith by continuance in Christ ' s Word will reach perfection. "If ye abide," etc. The quality of faith at first is more important than quantity; quantity will follow. Spiritual millionaires commenced with a very little capital. The apostles properly addressed as, "Ye of little faith." Lean sheep thrive in green pastures. It is surprising how a weak faith is improved and strengthened in the society and under the tuition of Jesus.

3 . The weakest faith by abiding in Christ ' s Word shall enjoy the richest blessings. We say—Know all first, and then believe. But the Christian order is rather—Believe first, and then know. The little knowledge required to precede faith is nothing to that which follows. It leads to true discipleship, and to the highest knowledge—the knowledge of the truth. It opens the door of the temple of redemptive truth, and thus opens the portals of eternal freedom. Ignorance is captivity, knowledge is liberty. Let the scientific facts of the world be known, and men will be intellectually free; let the Divine facts of redemption be experimentally realized, and men shall walk in the glorious liberty of the sons of God.—B.T.