1. Truth and Freedom are slipping away in our society.


• 80% of Americans today do not trust the news media to give the truth.


2 Timothy 3:13 (ESV)
13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.


• 85% of self-identified Christians in America today believe that there are many ways to heaven.


2 Timothy 3:7 (ESV)
7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.


2. The Best way to live is to abide in God’s truth to experience freedom from sin. John 8:30-32


John 8:30-32 (ESV)
30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him. 31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”


• Not all faith is true saving faith. John 8:30-31


John 8:44 and 59 (ESV)
44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.


John 2:23-24 (ESV)
23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people


James 2:19 (ESV)
19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!


Luke 8:13 (ESV)
13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away.


Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV)
24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.


• True faith will abide in God’s truth. John 8:31-32, 36


John 8:32 and 36 (ESV)
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.


John 14:6 (ESV)
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.


John 17:17 (ESV)
17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.


Matthew 4:4 (ESV)
4 But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”


Psalm 119:160 (ESV)
160 The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.


• True faith in the Truth will bring freedom from sin’s presence, punishment, and power. John 8:32


2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.


Luke 4:16-21 (ESV)
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” 20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”


Romans 8:2 (ESV)
2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.


Romans 6:11-19 (ESV)
11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. 15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. 19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness