"To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, 'If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.' They answered Him, 'We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can You say that we shall be set free?' Jesus replied, 'I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin ... I know you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word ... 'If you were Abraham's children,' said Jesus, 'then you would do the things Abraham did. As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the things your own father does' ... You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies ... He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God." John 8:31-47 (NIV)
Even though the people wanted to kill Him for what He was saying, Jesus continued to teach the truth. To the Jews who were descendants of Abraham physically, their behavior revealed them to be the devil's descendants. The devil is the father of lies and there is no truth in him.
Jesus spoke the truth. We must hear the truth, believe the truth, and live the truth, if we want to be free from the penalty of sin. Those of us who belong to God can hear what He says, and we endeavour to do what He says. Our words and deeds reveal who is our real father.
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