Set Free By The Son

We come to Chapter 8 of John's gospel this week, where Jesus avoids a trap set for him by the religious leaders and accuses them of doing the deeds of the devil himself. These events surround Jesus' claim that "if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." The Jews however, are intent on killing Jesus and refuse to acknowledge they have ever been enslaved to anyone. They claim God is their father, yet they walk in darkness and cannot see that what they are doing is the will of their true father, the devil - such is the deception and enslaving power of sin.
How can we know we are not doing the same? Can we be sure that we ourselves have not been deceived and enslaved by sin? Jesus promises those who abide in his word will know the truth, and the truth will set them free. The word spoken to the woman caught in adultery is the word of truth that sets us free - "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more." Only because Jesus was going to the cross, could he declare this to that woman, and to us. If we are 'of God' we will hear this word, believe it and rejoice in it. As we abide in this truth we will be set free to do what we hear from our Father - God.