Some of you are probably familiar with that classic award-winning and blockbuster courtroom thriller which was released back in 1992 called A Few Good Men. In it, military lawyer Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee played by Tom Cruise defends two Marines who are accused of murdering a fellow marine at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba. Although Kaffee has never seen the inside of a courtroom and is known for taking the fast out of concluding cases by seeking plea bargains, a fellow lawyer, Lt. Cdr. JoAnne Galloway played by Demi Moore, convinces him that the accused marines were most likely carrying out an order from a commanding officer.

The plot thickens as the two marines admit to the murder, but confirm it was at the order of a commanding officer. In Cuba, Col. Nathan Jessup, played by Jack Nicholson and other senior officers give all the “help” they can to solve the case, but Kaffee knows something is up. So he calls the Colonel, Jack Nicholson, up to the stand in an effort to finally uncover the cover-up conspiracy which leads to the famous line that comes out of the fiery exchange.

“Colonel Jessup did you order the code red.”

Judge interjects, “Colonel you don’t have to answer the question.

“I’ll answer the question.”

“You want answers?”

“I think I’m entitled to them.”

“You want answers?!”

“I want the truth!”

“You can’t handle the truth!”

And that line perfectly sums up the outcome of the heated exchange that we see once again this morning as we pick-up the increasingly intensifying conversation between Jesus and the Jews, which includes the religious leaders and Pharisees, and many whom have just been said to have “believed” in Jesus, verse 30…They say they believe in Jesus, and so now Jesus gives them the test of true and genuine faith—he proceeds to tell them the truth about saving faith, genuine discipleship—

“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” And suffice it to say—THEY COULDN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH—because at the end of this combative confrontation—they pick up stones to kill him!

And the truth they could not handle nor were willing to accept from the lips of Jesus himself is this: they like every other human being by nature and by birth are in slavery to sin and the only way and hope of freedom is to believe and abide in him. True believers know this and believe this; which is to say: true disciples know the truth, abide in the truth, and are set free by the truth. True disciples, know the Word, abide in the Word, and are set free by the Word.

And the Word became flesh! The Word of a God is a person—Jesus Christ—the Son and Word of God incarnate that is revealed for us in the Word of God in Scripture—and most supremely by his glorious and victorious death/resurrection. True faith is knowing Him—and abiding in him.

John 17:3, “this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. He is both the Word of God incarnate and the Truth of God incarnate. John 14:6, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

True faith, saving faith, is not based upon any human achievement, credential, or pedigree. It is not based on physical characteristics like lineage or descendancy—even if you come from Abraham. It is not based upon anything to do with your physical life. It is solely based upon whether or not you have been given new life. And this new life is found and exists only in the Word of God, Jesus Christ—and can only be obtained by knowing and abiding in him!