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Freedom Established on Truth

Yochanan (John) 8:32 
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

The passage above raises some questions we need to answer.  What are we free to do?  From what are we free?  What truth will make one free?  If the truth makes one free, to what was one in bondage in the first place?  Understanding the answer to each one of these questions will help to facilitate true freedom in one’s life.

Yochanan (John) 8:33 
They answered Him, “We are Avraham's seed, and have never yet been in bondage to any man; why do You say, ‘You shall be made free?’ ”

These men who were supposed to be the religious leaders of Israel just didn’t get it.  Yeshua was talking about the bondage into which each and every person is born, not the bondage of one man being in bondage to another man.  But even in this, these men were not being honest with the reality of the political situation in Israel at that time.  Israel was in bondage to Rome.  This basically means that all of Israel was under obligation to do what Rome said to do, and they really couldn’t do whatever they wanted to do.  When they said they were not in bondage to any man, this was not a true statement.  Now notice what Yeshua teaches them in response to their statement.

Yochanan (John) 8:34 
Yeshua answered them,
“Amein, amein, I say to you, every one that commits sin is the bondservant of sin.”

However, to truly understand what Yeshua is saying here, one must understand what sin is according to Scripture.  Man has his own definition of sin, but this will not give one truth, nor will it help answer one’s questions to help gain this freedom.  One needs His truth in this matter if he is going to be set free.  One common definition of sin by religious men, is that any deviation from perfection is sin.  Therefore, those who hold to this definition teach that every man sins in thought, word, and deed every day.  But does this definition line up with what Scripture teaches?  As the reader is about to see, it does not.

Yochanan Aleph (1st John) 3:4 
Every one that practices sin practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.

Now, it is common knowledge that the word “law” in Scripture comes from the Hebrew word “Torah.”  So, when this verse states that sin is “lawlessness,” one should know this verse is teaching that sin is being without the Torah, or Torahlessness.

Ya’aqov (James) 4:17 
To him therefore that knows to do good, and does not do it, to him it is sin.

How does one know what is good?  By knowing what YHWH has said is good.  Man does not have the right to determine what is good or evil.  When man, any man, determines what is good or what is evil, he is eating of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.  Please notice that eating of this tree consists of two kinds of knowledge: knowing what is good, and knowing what is evil.  Another way to understand this is that when one determines within himself what is good or he determines within himself what is evil, then this tree has been eaten from.  Gaining either type of knowledge, either good or evil in this manner, is not good in His eyes.

Romans 14:23 
But he that doubts is condemned if he eats, because he eats not of faith; and whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

Now mind you, Shaul is not speaking about eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in this context.  He is speaking about eating food in such a way that is pleasing to YHWH and does not harm or damage our fellow brethren in any way.  One’s eating should not be a means to exalt oneself over another as it must be done in faith as all things are done in faith. 

True faith leads us to trust in what YHWH has said in regards to what is good and what is evil.  True faith knows it cannot determine these things on its own, but rather must rely upon the Word of Elohim to know these things.

When we begin to understand that His written word must be the foundation of all we do and think, we will begin looking to Him rather than looking to other men to determine how we should live our everyday lives.  It will be YHWH who determines for each man what is good and what is evil concerning all things.  YHWH has done this in part by giving us His Torah.  The rest is determined by hearing and obeying His Voice.

Romans 7:12-14
12 So that the Torah is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good.
13 Did then that which is good become death to me?  Elohim forbid.  But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, by working death to me through that which is good; that through the commandment sin might become exceeding sinful.
14 For we know that the Torah is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin.

Please note that the Torah is good and righteous and holy.  This is the clear testimony of Scripture.  What is so very sad in this day is that there are many who have risen up and actually called the Torah of YHWH Satanic and evil; i.e., that if one lives to obey His commandments, that is satanic.  Considering that Scripture teaches us the Torah of YHWH is good and righteous, we know the source of such a statement, and it is not our heavenly Father.

Also, please note it was not the Torah that caused death in man, but rather it was the sin to which each one was in bondage that caused this death.  Specifically, it was one’s rebellion to the Torah that caused the death, not the Torah itself.  The Torah simply revealed the true nature of the sin, the rebellion.  Such was the life of Mashiach, the Torah made flesh.  His presence in this world revealed sin for what it truly was; therefore, those who could not stand in such a great light, put the light out; that is, they killed Him.

Yochanan Aleph (1st John) 5:17 
All unrighteousness is sin

In order to understand what unrighteousness is, one needs to understand what righteousness is.  And what is righteousness?

Devarim (Deuteronomy) 6:24-25
24 “And YHWH commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear YHWH our Elohim, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as at this day.
25 And it shall be righteousness to us, if we observe to do all this commandment before YHWH our Elohim, as He has commanded us.”

Righteousness comes from keeping and obeying the Torah.  This certainly includes obeying the Torah made flesh, Mashiach Yeshua.  Therefore, breaking the Torah brings just the opposite of righteousness – that is, unrighteousness.  But herein lies one of the base difficulties within: one’s own personal sin hinders him from keeping His commandments.

Romans 6:6 
Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away, that  we should no longer be in bondage to sin;

Please note that what is being done away with is the body of sin.  It is not the Torah that is being done away with!  Remember above the passage that stated the Torah of YHWH was good?  This shows it cannot be the Torah that is being done away.  The whole purpose of the body of sin being done away with is so that one will no longer be in bondage to sin.  It is sin to which one was in bondage.  One was never in bondage to the Torah.  As seen above, the Torah only revealed the true nature of one’s bondage.

Romans 6:23 
For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of Elohim is eternal life in Adonenu Yeshua Mashiach.

Sin holds one in the bondage of death as long as he is away from our heavenly Father.  Mashiach Yeshua came to restore His wayward people back to His Father’s house.  When one lives in His house, He expects him to live by His rules.  His rules are His Torah and His Voice.

Romans 7:14 
For we know that the Torah is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold into bondage to sin.

How does this happen?

B’midbar (Numbers) 15:31 
“Because he has despised the word of YHWH, and has broken His commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.”

This is where each person either is, or has been.

Yochanan (John) 8:36 
“If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.”

Please note that this verse is tied directly to the previous verse (8:32).  The truth shall make one free equals Mashiach Yeshua making one free.  Why?  Please note these words of Yeshua.

Yochanan (John) 14:6 
Yeshua says to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by Me.”

Yeshua is the truth.  By virtue of His very nature He is able to set the one free who trusts in Him.  So here is a question to ponder: Since Yeshua is the word made flesh (the Truth), how is it possible for one who rejects the truth to be set free?  Of course it is not possible for such a one to be set free.  However, this is exactly what so many who come to Messiah do; they reject the truth (Torah = the word) and therefore end up going back into bondage to sin.  Remember, it is the truth (Yeshua = living Torah) that sets one free.

Romans 8:15 
For you received not the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Brothers and sisters in Mashiach Yeshua, it is so very important that one does not go back into bondage once he has been set free.  To what was one in bondage?  Sin!  How does one go back into bondage?  Through sin.  What is sin?  Sin is breaking the Law (Torah)!  If one truly does not want to go back into bondage to sin again, then he had better stop breaking the Law!  By the way, this is exactly why one was in bondage in the first place:  by breaking the Law (Torah)! 

Any attempt to do away with the Law (Torah) in any fashion, is an attempt to do away with Mashiach!  For, Mashiach is the Law (Torah) made flesh and the truth is that He, that is Mashiach, cannot be rightly separated from the written word.  So if the Torah is done away with in any fashion; i.e., Mashiach fulfilled it so one does not have to, then the avenue to one’s freedom has also been done away with and one is made to walk in bondage to sin. 

Romans 6:16 
Do you not know, that to whom you present yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants you are whom you obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

Every single person will either obey YHWH and His Torah resulting in righteousness as was shown in Devarim 6:25 above, or he will obey sin resulting in unrighteousness.  There is no other choice.  One or the other will be true for each and every person.  Which is true in your life?

Galatians 2:4 
And that because of the false brethren who had sneaked in, who came in secretly to spy out our freedom which we have in Mashiach Yeshua, that they might bring us into bondage again.

What did those who had sneaked in want to bring others into bondage to?  It was to their traditions and commandments which bring the commandment of YHWH to nothingness.  As was discussed above, when a person determines for himself what is right or wrong, he is eating of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.  It is to this tree that these same men desiring to justify their own evil and sinful lives desire to enslave all men. 

Galatians 4:3-9
3 So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the rudiments of the world;
4 but when the fullness of the time came, Elohim sent forth His Son, born of a woman, being broken according to the Torah,
5 that He might redeem them that were under the Torah, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6 And because you are sons, Elohim sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
7 So that you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through Mashiach.
8 Howbeit at that time, not knowing Elohim, you were in bondage to them that by nature are not gods;
9 but now that you have come to know Elohim, or rather to be known by Elohim, why do you turn back again to the weak and worthless elements, to which you desire to be in bondage over again?

What Shaul is asking them (and us today) is: If you have in fact been freed from the bondage of sin, why do you go back into that same bondage from which you have been freed?  That is a pretty good question; wouldn’t you agree?

Galatians 5:1 
For freedom did Mashiach set us free; stand fast therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage.

What is the yoke of bondage?  Sin!  What is sin?  Sin is breaking the Law – it is breaking Torah!

Please take prayerful note of this next passage in which a very sharp contrast is being taught.

Kepha Bet (2nd Peter) 2:18-19
18 For, uttering great swelling words of vanity, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by lasciviousness, those who are just escaping from them that live in error;
19 promising them liberty, while they themselves are bondservants of corruption; for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he also brought into bondage.

May the Spirit of Mashiach quicken the hearts and minds of all that we may see and understand the depth and breadth of these words!  Brothers and sisters in Mashiach Yeshua, there are many in this world who are enslaved to their own lustful passions.  These same men (and women) cannot stand to see you walk in freedom, living and obeying the Voice of YHWH our Elohim.  They would rather that all be enslaved to anything, but especially to the traditions of man.  Be careful to whom you swear allegiance, for such shall be your master!  Remember, one cannot serve two masters!

Galatians 2:17 
But if, while we sought to be justified in Mashiach, we ourselves also were found sinners, is Mashiach a minister of sin?  Elohim forbid!

Is one to continue in sin once he has been set free?  Shaul says that Elohim forbids such nonsense!  Consider prayerfully what some men are teaching as doctrines, for such things are against the very nature of Mashiach and why He died in the first place.  If one is going to walk in freedom, he must understand that in order to do so, he must walk in obedience to Mashiach who is the Torah made flesh and He will not contradict His own nature and lead someone to live a life wholly against Torah, which is a life full of sin.

Remember our three questions we asked at the beginning of this study? 

What are we free to do? From what are we free?  What truth will make us free?  If the truth makes us free, to what was I in bondage in the first place?  Let’s summarize the answers we have found to these questions.

What are we free to do?  We are free to obey our Creator, Mashiach Yeshua the Torah made flesh.  We are not made free to sin, but rather we are made free from sin.

From what are we free?  We are free from sin, the breaking of His Torah (Law).  We are no longer in bondage to sin, but free to be His people once again.

To what were we in bondage in the first place?  We were in bondage to sin.

Let us be free in Mashiach, but let us not allow that freedom in Mashiach to be an occasion for living in sin!

ABBA YHWH, teach us to walk in the Spirit of Mashiach at all times; for it is in the name of Mashiach Yeshua we pray.  Amein.

Zerubbabel ben Emunah
www.onetorahforall.com
zerubbabel@onetorahforall.com

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