It's not enough just to know God's Word, we must be faithful to do what it says.

Have you ever known someone who seemed to really know the Word of God well?  They could give you the answers to all the Bible questions, and they even knew the books of the Bible in order.  They could quote passages of the Word!  But there was just one problem, they didn’t do what the Bible said.  They were great “hearers” but very poor “doers.”  Jesus kept meeting men who knew the Word flawlessly but refused to obey it.  They were the Pharisees.  Fortunately, there were some Jews who did believe, here is what He taught them.

“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him.”  
It is interesting to see how Jesus handled the religious leaders of the day.  And then to watch Him speak with the everyday people in an entirely different manner.  Although the leadership had many opportunities to talk to Jesus, very few of the Pharisees and Sadducees actually believed.  But of the people, many put their faith in Him.

“If ye continue in my word.”
It’s not just “knowing” Jesus’ Word that was important.  It was in the doing of it, the “continuing”[1] in it that made the difference.  It is the lifers in the Word that He was speaking to.  They gave their lives to Christ and followed His Word for life.  That is “continuing.” If this is true about you,

“Then are ye, my disciples, indeed.” 
It is the Christ-follower who is faithful in the Word of God, who is Jesus’ disciple.  These are not the kind of “followers” that are up and down.  These were not spasmodic in their relationship to Christ and His word that Jesus is speaking to.  It’s those who are faithful, who “continue” in the Words that are His followers.

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
Here’s the benefit of being a Jesus follower for life.  You know the truth, and it is freeing!  The only people who this verse can apply to are His disciples.  How often do we hear people quoting this verse who obviously have no idea what it means to be a follower of Jesus?  They are looking for “freedom” without knowing the One who is the “truth” or who does the “freeing.”

Because we know and love Him, we keep His Word.

[1] In the Greek text, the “if” – “then” statement is a third-class condition.  At the point the condition is met, the “then” is correct.  When a believer meets the requirement of “continuing in the Word,” he/she then “is my disciple.”  The disciple is blessed with knowing the truth.