ST. PAUL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

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 saying sitting in a garage doesn’t make us a Chevy any more than sitting in church makes us a Christian. Now that is funny but profound! Church is not the means by which we are saved, it is only through the forgiveness of our sin and making Jesus as LORD that does that. But one would be surprised to find out how many believe that going to church on Sunday morning or being a good person qualifies you for gaining your eternal destiny (Heaven).

We often hear the saying, “Know the truth, and the truth shall make you free;” but in reality there is more to that verse. The first part of it mentions the word “continue.” Now continue here is a verb; it means to endure, stay, be present, tarry, remain, stand firm or abide. You see that just knowing the truth really doesn’t make you free; you must do something about it. Now I am not suggesting salvation by works here, but I am suggesting that works follow salvation.

There is a pattern to be followed in this passage. First is “if you continue in my words.” Second is being a disciple of Christ, and thirdly is knowing the truth. We often try to side step the first two steps, but Christ was clear here when He said this. Allow me to put this in layman’s terms for you. We must not only know the truth (reading God’s Word, attending worship, prayer, etc.), but  we must also act on what we learn about truth, i.e. act like Christians in our daily life, at home (especially important for our children), at our jobs, at school, in the things we watch, the places we go. The question is does the world around us know we are Christians because we told them we go to church or because they see we are Disciples of Christ? These are thought provoking questions that only you can and need to answer; it is my job, my privilege, my ministry to give the truth, but it is your job to apply it to your life. And I think you would be surprised to find out how much better your life and your relationships would be if we follow His plan.

God Bless,
Jason  a.k.a. Youth Director
You can call, email, message, or text me anytime!

717-352-8523 or 717-372-4084(cell)
jigscrawford@comcast.net or www.myspace.com/jason4susan