Does the Truth Really Set Us Free?

Brittney Griner was sentenced to nine years in Russian prison over drug-smuggling charges for carrying vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage at a Moscow airport. Over the month of July, Griner and her legal team have appealed for leniency after she admitted wrongdoing and pleaded guilty to the charges against her. Though the defense made the case that Griner inadvertently brought the drugs in her luggage and that she had been prescribed medical marijuana back in the US, the two-time Olympic gold medalist received a near-maximum sentence and now faces the prospect of spending almost a decade at a Russian penal colony. This is a literal case where telling the truth did not set the truth-teller free. Of course, Russian courts are not known for being unbiased and the sentence does not disprove the often-quoted scripture “the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)

A Texas jury on Friday ordered Alex Jones to pay $45.2 million in punitive damages to the parents of a Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victim, a day after deciding the Infowars host must pay them $4.1 million in compensatory damages for the suffering caused by his lies about the 2012 massacre. This was the determination of the jury after Alex Jones admitted he lied about the shootings because he was deceived. I am not sure if this statement can be construed as entirely true because only Mr. Jones knows for sure if he was deceived. However, after reportedly continuing to lie about the shootings on his program while the trial was ongoing it is somewhat unlikely for him to be deceived at night on his broadcast and truthful by day while in court within the span of a few hours. Once again this is a clear example that telling the truth, especially if it is an unrealistic truth, will not set you free.

I have often stated that in my experience of thirty-plus years in the evangelical community of faith that John 8:32 is the most misquoted verse in the bible. The verse is usually quoted in part. John 8:32 in full reads “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” The entire verse consists of two parts, each part is introduced with the conjunction “and”. That means each phrase, or each part of the sentence is conditional on the preceding part or phrase. So, the phrase “the truth shall make you free” is conditional on the phrase preceding it “you shall know the truth”. In other words, the “truth” will make you free if you first “know” what truth is. In our examples above Mr. Jones may have thought he was telling the truth but clearly, he was confused as to what the truth is – truth is not some deceived telling of events as he best understands at the time. Truth is based on facts or described events and actions proven to be correct, unchangeable as tested over time. In the case of Brittney Griner, the sincere telling of truth made no difference to a Russian court determined to punish and imprison her.

However, in both examples the validity of John 8:32 applies if read correctly in context with verse 31. Why is that necessary? Because the first part of verse 32 begins with the conjunction “and” signifying the dependence of the two verses on each other. In other words, verse 32 is conditional on the actions in verse 31. What Jesus said was “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31,32) In other words in order to know the type of truth that makes one free requires being a disciple of Christ by “abiding in His word”. That means to be really free one must conform to or accept without rejection the teachings of Christ. That takes an “abiding in the words of Christ” much like a plant abides in the soil that it is planted in, drawing its daily nourishment to survive effectively. In other words, freedom is available equally to Alex Jones, Brittany Griner, you and me alike. It doesn’t matter if we are in a Russian prison, a courtroom in the U.S., or anywhere else. If we are “abiding” in our knowledge and understanding of the teachings of Christ, we can be free. Does that mean Mr. Jones shouldn’t pay? Of course, not! Does that mean Brittany Griner will go free tomorrow? Probably not, sad to say. Does that mean you and I will be delivered from the trial or circumstance that confronts us the way we wish? Maybe not. But what all of us can attain is freedom regardless of our circumstance. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4: 6,7) We may not be free from the circumstance that faces us. But we can face that circumstance with peace in heart and mind. That means we can face what confronts us with a calm assurance in our hearts and with clarity of thought that we will be all right. That is the truth that can makes us free regardless of our circumstances available to anyone at any time!