The Truth Just Might Not Set You Free

I have heard it said in conversation, in the rooms of recovery, and even from pulpits in churches. I have even said it myself and by doing so furthered a dangerous deception in my own life. Said what? How many times I have realized something about myself or God, shared it, and then had someone, maybe even my own thoughts say, "The truth shall set you free!," I couldn't tell you, but it is that one sentence I am referring to here. The truth shall set you free.

That the truth shall set us free is seen by many, including at times myself, as some Promise from God, Spiritual Law or FACT, or even as some psycho babble self-improvement mantra tied into knowing yourself. This sentence went through my mind this morning, and the falseness of it just cut me to the quick. So, I meditated on the truth about the statement "The truth shall set you free." And yes, I said falseness, but please bear with me and hear me out before casting stones against my heresy.

The statement as used when quoted as follows, "The Truth shall set you free," is a concept that permeates many of our lives in many ways. It was even quoted in "Star Trek." It's a concept we're familiar with, and I call bullshit. It's not true. For those who are having scriptural issues at the moment, I will address that, but first let me continue with the statement just being wrong.

The truth, in and of itself, can not accomplish anything. It certainly won't set me free. I have said about my relapse that there's nothing worse than having a head full of recovery and a belly full of rum. It's misery, and I imagine a few heads around "the room" nodding in agreement. Why is that feeling so miserable? Because I knew the truth and wasn't free. Because knowing what I needed to do and still not doing it made it feel even worse than just failing to stay sober did.

Truth received, believed, accepted, responded to, and acted upon can effect freedom, but not simply knowledge of the truth. Faith without works is dead. Knowledge without works is both dead and quickly forgotten. It changes nothing.

I can know the truth that I have won some money, but unless I claim the prize my life will never change because of that knowledge.

I can know that truth that I am powerless over alcohol and drugs and that my life is unmanageable. But unless I then take the responding action of believing that God is more powerful than the chemicals and can manageable my life and then surrendering my life to Him, without the response and action, then knowledge does me no good. I continued to drink and use and mess up my life in other areas and ways as well.

So what's the big deal? So the need to act is implied, so what? One, my experience is that there have been times when I have had a revelation of truth in my life then sat back and waited to see that knowledge, that truth, change my life, change the way I thought, acted, felt and responded to and about my life. I fell into a trap. I got the knowledge but failed to act because I slipped into the belief that the knowledge of truth would set me free. Two, actually, the idea is not implied, it's stated and we all have just been editing it out.

The truth is that if you're going to quote statements about truth, you really should take the time to make sure you have the quote accurate. The quote I've been referring to is false simply because it stands as a complete statement in the context of knowing the truth setting you free, when it is not that. Taking it out of context changes things. Sometimes it is even quoted as "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free." Has more words, must be closer to right. Well, part of the quote previously left out is now there, but I feel this is worse. Now it is no longer just misunderstanding that leads me to believe wrongly that knowledge will set me free. It says unflinchingly that you know the truth and the truth will set you free. Knowledge equals freedom? Hasn't this lie been around since Adam and Eve?

The quote actually reads as follows: Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, [then] are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:31-32

The semicolon demands that these two sentences go together as a complete thought. And it makes a difference. Generally speaking it means if you are continuing to do as instructed you are disciples (disciplined followers) of the instructor. Then when something is wrong in your life, when you're presented with a choice and you're not sure on your own which way to go, etc. you can look at it with spiritual insight and know the truth that will enable you to act rightly and do the next right thing.

But what happens when I don't have enough truth to effect change? How do I get more truth? Seek and you will find, I believe that with all my heart, but I think there's more to it. In my experience, there are times when I must apply what I have learned already before I can learn or understand anything new. Sometimes I have to act on the little bit of truth that I have before more is revealed, and as long as I wait for all to be revealed before acting I wait without change.

In the paragraph before last I wrote what the entire quote means generally speaking. I did that so I could say what I needed to and keep this as open to all who read it as possible. But even doing that is misquoting and taking out of context. This is not inside any room but my own house, so I will say what I want to say, and if you're offended quit reading. This quote says That if you continue to walk in relationship with the Word of God made flesh, then you are followers of and belong to Him and that relationship will cause you to know the truth about certain things (spiritual matters, situational matters, recovery matters, whatever matters, especially how to react and respond to knowledge matters), and acting on the truth and responding to the call to relationship with God with make us free.

So that's basically my experience, strength and hope on this quote. The truth has to be known before it can be responded to, so knowledge of the truth is important. But if the truth is known but not acted on, the only thing it ever produces is misery, pain and suffering. That's all I got for now.