Freedom from sins

The conflict between Jesus and the Jews escalated. Yet, some of the Jews believed in Jesus after Jesus said the following.
So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority but speak thus as the Father taught me.
And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him."
As he spoke thus, many believed in him (John 8:28-30).
Why did they believe in him? What made them believe? Did they truly believe in Jesus after he had spoken these words? How was it possible for these few words to make the listeners believe?
Of course, it is impossible to know what was going through the minds and the hearts of people living 2000 years ago. Moreover, the text itself does not convey the pace, the tone as well as the mood with which Jesus delivered those words. Therefore, those few words must have appealed not only to the brains, but also the hearts of the listeners. On the face value of the text itself, it is hard to accept that many Jews had believed in Jesus.
Then Jesus continued to teach those Jews who had believed in him.
Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham, and have never been in bondage to any one. How is it that you say, 'You will be made free'?"
Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, every one who commits sin is a slave to sin." (John 8:31-34)
Of course, I agree with the teaching of Jesus. Like the Jews who had believed in Jesus, many of us think that we are free, that we have never been in bondage. Here, Jesus made us aware that we are addicted to committing various kinds of sins: pride, greed, jealousy, anger, lust, gluttony and sloth, the seven capital sins. We are not free until we know the truth. However, knowing the truth does not necessarily mean that we will be free. Between knowledge and freedom, there is a huge gap. Appropriate actions must be taken in order to acquire freedom. The neo-Confucism of the Sung-Ming Dynasty advocates a Unity of Knowledge and Action 知行合一. It is a different system of thinking and freedom is not their agenda. Return to Christianity. Jesus did not say we gain freedom by ourselves. Rather, the truth will make us free! There is nothing we can do to gain this freedom from sins. We are not the Actor. The truth is!
So, to quote Pontius Pilate, "What is truth?" (John 18:38)
Before this question was raised, Jesus had already answered it.
Jesus said to him (Thomas), "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)
So, Jesus was telling the Jews that if they continued in his word, they would know him and he would make them free. Let us then put Jesus' word into practice, bearing in mind the weaknesses and sins that continuously plague us. Then we will know him better and he will make us free.

Lord Jesus, I am not a disciplined man. My sins are constantly before my eyes. Come, my Saviour, come. Liberate me and tame me so that I may humbly confess my sins and stop doing harms to my neighbours. Amen.