Knowledge is Power

“You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free…”John 8:32

The Truth Shall Make You Free

“Knowledge is power” is commonly attributed to Sir Francis Bacon, although there is no known occurrence of this precise phrase in Bacon's English or Latin writings. However, the expression "ipsa scientia potestas est" ('knowledge itself is power') occurs in Bacon's Meditationes Sacrae (1597).

The Truth Shall Make You Free

• “My mind is made up; don’t confuse me with the facts!”

• “Ignorance is bliss!”

• Ignorance binds and blinds (Jn. 9:39); truth (knowledge) frees (2 Cor. 4:4-6)

• Consider the power of the knowledge and truth

It Frees Us From Ignorance

• Ignorance abounds (the earth is flat, malaria causes by swamp air, etc.)

• The Gentile world was ignorant of the truth about God and Jesus (Eph. 4:17-21; 1 Pet. 1:14, 17)

• Ignorance promotes wrong-doing (Acts 3:17; 1 Tim. 1:13)

It Frees Us From Ignorance

• Ignorance promotes false worship (Acts 17:23, 30; Rom. 10:2-3)

• Ignorance promotes false teaching (2 Pet. 2:12; 3:16, 18)

• The darkness of ignorance is dispelled by the light of truth (Eph. 5:17) – “I would not have you ignorant…” (1 Cor. 12:1; 1 Thess. 4:13)

It Frees Us From Prejudice

• Often ignorance leads to prejudice (KKK racial prejudice preached as biblical)

• Prejudice kept people from Jesus (Jn. 1:46; 9:22, 34; 11:42-43)

• Prejudice is removed with the open-mined acceptance of truth (Acts 10:9-16, 19, 28-29, 34ff; 17:11; Gal. 2:14)

It Frees Us From Doctrines of Men

• Often ignorance leads to prejudice, which leads to false doctrines of men (hundreds of religious groups today) – Lk. 11:52

• False doctrine leads to false worship (Mt. 15:9; Col. 2:22)

• We must continually test all things with God’s word (1 Thess. 5:21; 1 Jn. 4:1)

It Frees Us From Doctrines of Men

• Any man-made doctrine not found in the NT gospel of truth must be rejected (Jn. 14:6, 17; 17:17; 1 Tim. 1:3; 4:3; 6:3,5; 2 Tim. 2:18, 25; 3:7-8; 4:4; Tit. 1:14)

• The doctrines / commandments of men will be rejected when we follow the truth only (2 Cor. 10:5; Eph. 4:13-15)

It Frees Us From Sin

• Sin binds and enslaves (Isa. 59:1-2; Rom. 6:23; Jn. 8:32-34; Acts 26:18; Col. 1:13)

• The gospel frees (Rom. 6:22; 8:2; Gal. 5:1, 13; 1 Tim. 2:4; 1 Pet. 2:16; 2 Pet. 2:20)

• The shackles of sin will be broken by the liberty of truth (Jas. 1:25; 2:12)

The Power of Knowledge

• You have to really want the truth (Prov. 23:23; Rom. 1:28; 2 Thess. 2:10ff)

• You have to obey the truth (Rom. 2:8)

• Just think what you could accomplish!

• Just think what you could change!