The 1998, issue of THE WATCHTOWER contains an article entitled, "The Truth Will Set You Free." The article, states "It is only by faith in the sacrifice of Jesus' perfect human life that anyone can be freed from sin and death." We agree. But along with this statement, they also say that "the truth that frees people is truth about Jesus Christ, the Son of God," as it is expressed in the Bible (p. 3). Is this a true statement? Can knowledge about Jesus free people from the bondage of sin? Or, is it a relationship-one where we know Jesus personally and place our faith only in Him-that frees us? Let's examine the Bible to find the answer.
In the John 5, Jesus is speaking with the Jewish leaders of his day, leaders who frequently studied the scriptures (the Old Testament) and knew what was written about the Messiah. They were constantly "taking in knowledge" from the scriptures. However, in John 5:39-40, Jesus makes a shocking statement to them: "You are searching the Scriptures, because you think that by means of them you will have everlasting life; and these are the very ones that bear witness about me. And yet you do not want to come to me that you may have life." These leaders had scriptural knowledge of the Messiah, but they missed the most important point: we must go to Jesus to receive eternal life. (Notice Jesus never said we had to go to an organization, or from door to door, or even to assemblies to receive eternal life.)
Jerimiah 9:24 says, "But let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me." In John 17:3, Jesus said that eternal life means "knowing you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." (Please see The Kingdom Interlinear for an accurate translation of this verse.) According to Jesus Himself, eternal life means knowing God, not simply having knowledge about Him. The apostle Paul "considered everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus...to know Christ and the power of His resurrection..." (Phillipians 3: 8-10). In John 14:6 Jesus says, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life." Jesus is THE Truth, He is the only Way, and He is the only One who can offer life. To know the Truth is to know Jesus!
Proverbs 16:25 says, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads only to death." Man's way is to gain more knowledge; God's way is to know Him personally. Man's way is good works; God's way is Jesus alone. Man's way is to try diligently; God's way is to be still and know that He is God.
In Matthew 16:25, Jesus said, "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." An organization can't offer eternal life; knowledge can't give eternal life; and works aren't sufficient to earn eternal life. Only by placing our faith in Jesus and surrendering our lives to Him can we know God and find eternal life.