By Merritt Johnston

Albert Einstein was once quoted as saying, "A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties and needs; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death."

Okay, stick with me here. Really take a minute to think through what Einstein's trying to say. In a nutshell, he's shooting down all religion. And what's his reason? Go back and read the quote again. According to Einstein, religious people live a poor life "restrained by fear of punishment." Perhaps no concept of faith is as pervasive in today's world as the thought that it is restrictive in nature - that religion is a proponent of captivity rather than freedom. Particularly in America, we are driven by what we believe is an innate right to experience freedom in every facet of life. Therefore, it seems logical that Einstein's perception of religion flies in the face of the American tenet of freedom.

Yet an investigation into the life of Christ seems to paint a very different picture than the one seen through the eyes of Einstein. In John 8:31-32 (NIV) we find these words from Christ, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Although Christ is not known for simple how-to manuals, this passage is brilliant in its simplicity.

1. If you are really a disciple, you hold to Christ's teaching.
   If we want to move into the small percentage of Christians who actually earn the title of disciple, then we have to hold tight to the words of Christ. His words have to be the spiritual food that nourishes us in times of need and the spiritual sword that wounds us when we're heading toward the enemy's camp. And let's be honest, this means we don't get to do our Bible study buffet-style anymore. No more loading up on the sweet stuff and leaving those good vegetables under the heat lamp. We have to hold to His words in their entirety, even the ones that are hard to swallow.
2. If we hold to Christ's teaching, then we will know the truth.
   No one likes to be lied to, but that's what we sign up for when we hold to anything other than Christ's teaching. Think you're smart enough to look beyond the world's deceit? Well, reading that Einstein quote is a pretty blatant indication that even Einstein was duped. And well, he was Einstein. If you think you're smarter than Einstein, then by all means hang out with the world's "wise" and see if you can hunt down the truth on your own. If your IQ is not quite up to par with Einstein, then consider going to Christ for the only real truth serum.
3. If we know the Truth, the Truth will set us free.
   In John 14, Christ tells us that He is the Truth. So when we truly engage in a life as His disciple, we can and will be set free. You see, a relationship with Him isn't a lifelong prison sentence - it's quite the opposite. It's an eternal pardon that enables us to live as the Father intended - free.

It's quite simple, isn't it? But simple doesn't always mean easy. If we were honest with ourselves, most of us would admit that we can't handle the Truth. We're not ready to be His disciples quite yet. We're not ready to hold to His teaching more than we hold to our families, our money, or our pride. I know, the truth hurts sometimes. But maybe it's time for us to give ourselves a lie detector test for our faith and see what kind of disciples we truly are.

Getting Personal:

• Do you feel you are experiencing the freedom of Christ in your life right now?
• What are you "holding" to the most in your life?
• What would it look like for you to "hold" to Christ's teaching this week?

Merritt serves as the director of SAGE Girls Ministry, a non-profit organization whose mission is to reach, teach, and train young women to impact their communities and the world with the love of Christ. She makes her home in Brenham, TX, where she and her husband are raising their rambunctious toddler named Josiah.