“Jesus said to the people who believed in him, ‘You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.’”
John 8:31 (NLT)
Many believed in Jesus after hearing His teaching, but Jesus didn’t stop at belief—He showed them their next step. He spoke directly to those who believed, yet His message still offended them. That happens today too. We want a Savior…but following His ways is another story.
Jesus taught that true discipleship is proven when we remain faithful to His teaching. When we continue to embrace all He says, we show we belong to Him. And then comes verse 32—the verse that stirred the crowd: the truth we embrace is the truth that sets us free. Believing gives us eternal life, but remaining faithful breaks our earthly chains.
The crowd insisted they were already free—yet their words revealed bondage. They relied on heritage, tradition, and self-confidence instead of obedience. We say the same lie when we think we can keep pockets of darkness and still walk in freedom. We cannot have all Jesus offers and refuse to change.
I don’t want partial freedom. I want the freedom Jesus says is possible in verse 36. So I choose to remain faithful, embrace His instruction, and surrender anything I thought brought me life—even when it feels paradoxical or costs me something. I want to be completely free.
Do you?