One day there was a gentleman who was standing by the Niagara river. He was one of those who were intensely attracted by the wonders of nature. Suddenly, he saw an eagle swoop down upon a frozen lamb encased in a floating piece of ice which was drifting towards the rapids and the falls. Realizing the near danger, the eagle would lift up his head every now and again, looking around proudly, as if to say, "I’m not a fool. I know what I am doing. I will fly up and make my escape before it is too late."

As the eagle was right at the falls, he stopped picking at the frosty carcass, spread his powerful robust wings, and tried to leap for his flight. But alas! All his efforts were in vain. While he was feasting, his feet froze to the fleece of the dead animal. Shrieking and beating his wings helplessly upon the ice, he went over the falls into the abyss below.

The fate of that unfortunate eagle stands as a warning to every person who consciously starts on the wrong track, duping himself with the thought that he will stop doing evil before going too far.

In Proverbs 14:12, the wise man said: "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." "Sin is first pleasing, then it grows easy, then delightful, then frequent, then habitual, then confirmed; then the man is impenitent; then he is obstinate; then he is resolved never to repent; and then, he is ruined."

In contrast to this deadly path, "the path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." Proverbs 4:18. But how can a person, so used to the path that ends in death, turn around and walk on the strait and narrow way?

Jesus answered this question in the following manner: "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:32. Does this mean that without knowing the truth we are in slavery? Most of the Jews denied this. "They answered him, we be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, ye shall be made free?" Verse 33. But Jesus clarified their question: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin." Verse 34. In other words, we are in the service of Satan—the father of sin—when we are not in that path which "shineth more and more unto the perfect day." The only way to leave their path and change their course is by the truth. "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." If only that eagle had realized his condition earlier, he would not have perished, nay, if only he did not play with danger, it would not have been too late. Too many times, we play with sin till there is no hope for us. Let us take hold of the truth today while we still have that opportunity before we get caught in that deadly current that leads to eternal loss.

Such an important question! During the trial of Jesus, even Pilate asked Him, "What is truth? John 18:38. But Pilate did not stop to hear a reply to his question. If he only tarried a little longer to hear Christ’s reply, his history might have changed for Christ’s answer would have been the same as that given to Thomas the night before: "Jesus saith unto him, I am . . . the truth. . . no man cometh unto the Father but by me." John 14:6.

Yes, Jesus is the Truth; and when we know Him, He will make us free. For this reason, Paul said: "I am not ashamed of the gospel" (to announce good news, to declare, to bring glad tidings) "of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Romans 1:16. "The Bible. . . presents in the simplest language the mighty power of the gospel, which, received, would cut the chains that bind men to Satan’s Chariot." Fundamentals of Christian Education, p. 377.

"The Saducees had flattered themselves that they of all men adhered most strictly to the Scriptures. But Jesus showed that they had not known their true meaning." Desire of Ages, p. 605:5. We can see this clearly in one of His discussions with them. He said this "unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?" Mark 12:24. So then, even if we have a great mental store of the glorious knowledge of the gospel and of the Scriptures, it does not necessarily correspond to an equally great power in being free from the slavery of sin.

So how can we understand the "know" in John 8:32 so there can be a power in our knowledge of truth resulting in freedom from sin? It is not a casual acquaintance of Jesus the Truth; but instead, as He said: "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." It is not Jesus in glory or Jesus the miracle worker only, but Jesus the crucified One. Just before He spoke about the truth making men free, He said: "When ye have lifted up the son of man, then shall ye know that I am He." John 12:32; 8:28. It is the crucified and risen Saviour that has power to draw all men unto Himself. Why then have not all men been drawn unto Him as the Saviour since He was crucified on the cross and raised from the dead?

Is there anything unfulfilled with this text? Is the text unconditional? No! For we must compare Scripture with Scripture. Let us remember that we are speaking of being freed from the slavery of sin. John the Baptist was clear as to our duty in regard to the truth (Jesus) when he said: "Behold the Lamb of God, which beareth away the sin of the world." John 1:29 margin. Our responsibility is to behold the Lamb of God on the cross. This is what it means to "know" that results in freedom.

You may remember the time when the children of Israel were attacked in the wilderness by fiery serpents. These serpents were so deadly that "much people of Israel died. Therefore, the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that He take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people." How did the Lord choose to solve the problem? "And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that everyone that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived." Numbers 21:6-9. Notice the words "When he beheld." If a person refused to behold, he would die.

Jesus used this parallel when He spoke to Nicodemus: "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the son of man be lifted up. That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:14, 15.

So when Jesus said that when He is lifted up, He will draw all man unto Himself, He is speaking of all those that believe and behold. "Let the repenting sinner fix his eyes upon ‘the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world;’ and by beholding, he becomes changed. His fear is turned to joy, his doubts to hope. Gratitude springs up. The stony heart is broken. A tide of love sweeps into the soul. Christ is in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life." Desire of Ages, p. 439:3.

The Israelites in the wilderness had to exercise faith in the power of God which that serpent on the pole represented. They were not to have faith in that serpent although later in their history they did. For this reason, the good king Hezekiah "broke in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it." 2 Kings 18:4. But Christ did not say that if I am lifted up, those who believe what I represent will be freed from sin. Instead, he said: "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me," and I will make you free for "I am the way, the truth, and the life," and "ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." It is not the cross that we are to behold or to worship but Jesus on that cross. So we have a very powerful Saviour on that cross. But who is He that he has such a power?

We know that Jesus was good and sinless for "Christ. . . Who did not sin, neither was guile found in His mouth" is His record. (1 Peter 2:21, 22.) But is it His goodness and sinless life alone that was responsible for that power? It cannot be because these traits in people incur the wrath of sinners. "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution." 2 Timothy 3:12. A godly life causes persecution because "this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be discovered." John 3:19, 20 mgn. It could not be His goodness alone for when someone is a slave, the goodness and perfection of another master alone cannot help his plight with a wicked slave driver.

So then, Who is Jesus? The Bible says: "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." John 1:14. Jesus is the Word (c.e. Revelation 19:11-13, 16; 17:14; John 1:29).

What does the Bible say of Him as the word? "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made." John 1:1-3. "If Christ made all things, He existed before all things. The words spoken in regard to this are so decisive that no one need be left in doubt. Christ was God essentially, and in the highest sense. He was with God from all eternity, God over all, blessed forever more." Vol. 1, Selected messages, p. 247:3.

Since He was never created but rather He created all things (John 1:1-3), He must be God. Among the texts that bring this to view are Isaiah 9:6 where He is called "the mighty God," Paul says there is no controversy that "God was manifest in the flesh." 1 Timothy 3:16. The serpent in the wilderness was only a piece of brass, but Christ on the cross was and still is God. For this reason, we can and must worship Christ for in Hebrews 1:8, it says: "but unto the son He saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom." Here the Father calls Him God; Thus He is the master of all masters and can free the slaves from that wicked master, Satan and sin. So it was God, the creator of heaven and earth, Who became flesh. Then a miracle (mystery) took place.

In John 1:14 we read: "And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." How was that possible for God, the Creator of heaven and earth, to become a created being. The Bible calls this act a great mystery: "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh." 1 Tim. 3:16. This mystery, this gift, and yes, this supreme sacrifice was for you and me. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16. It is because He is God, and God became flesh—this is the drawing power of Christ.

What does it mean that He became flesh? For Him to become like an angel would have been an infinitely great sacrifice for the Creator. "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death." Hebrews 2:9. This is just like created man: "what is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man that thou visitest him? For Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels." Psalm 8:4, 5. This was not an imitation man "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil." Hebrews 2:14.

This was not the nature of Adam before the fall but of the children of Adam for "Remember that Jesus Christ" was "of the seed of David." 2 Timothy 2:8. He was made like unto His brethren "For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." For this reason, "he is not ashamed to call them brethren. . . Wherefore in all things it behooved Him to made like unto His brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." Hebrews 2:10, 11, 17.

He not only condescended to being a man, but the lowest of men in rank. He "made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men." Philippians 2:7. "Think of Christ’s humiliation. He took upon Himself fallen, suffering human nature, degraded and defiled by sin. He took our sorrows, bearing our grief and shame. He endured all the temptations wherewith man is beset. He united humanity with divinity; a divine spirit dwelt in a temple of flesh." Vol. 4, Bible Commentary, p. 1147.

"But Jesus wants everything! That’s not fair!" many would say. "But what do we give up, when we give all? A sin-polluted heart, for Jesus to cleanse by his own blood, and to save by his matchless love. And yet men think it hard to give up all! I am ashamed to hear it spoken of, ashamed to write it.

So then, "Behold the Lamb of God, which beareth away the sin of the world." Keep your eyes fixed upon him and it would be impossible to resist His invitation: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30.