[Before reading today's post, please go back to the previous post and read the prayer that Jesus prayed for his followers.]
Jesus said He gave God’s Word to us so that we can be set apart and holy – so that we can be saints! Yes, we will all be tempted and Satan will set traps to snare us, but God’s Word gives us the power to say, “No,” when unrighteous opportunities come our way. Note that in verse 17 of Jesus’ prayer, the King James and New King James versions use the word, “sanctify”. “Sanctify them by your truth. Your word is truth.” The American Standard Version says, “Use the truth to make them holy. Your words are truth.” ----Do you just love the comparison!? To know Truth, know The Word!
Be blessed and encouraged by Joseph H. Thayer’s Greek – English Lexicon of the New Testament, (page 6), explanation of the word “sanctify”: “… to make, render or declare sacred or holy, consecrate. Hence it denotes 1. to render or acknowledge to be venerable, to hallow: … . Since the stamp of sacredness passes over from the holiness of God to whatever has any connection with God, dyiejeiv denotes, 2. to separate from things profane and dedicate to God, to consecrate and so render inviolable; a. things … b. persons. So Christ is said by undergoing death to consecrate himself to God, whose will in that way fulfils; God is said dyiacrai Christ, i.e. to have selected him for service … by having committed to him the office of Messiah. … Since only what is perfect and without blemish can be offered to God… 3. to purify …; and a. to cleanse eternally … , to purify levitically … b. to purity by expiation, free from the guilt of sin. … c. to purify internally by reformation of soul; Jn. xvii. 17, 19 (through knowledge of the truth, cf. Jn. viii, 32): … . In general, Christians are called nyiaouiroi [cf. Deut. xxxiii.3], as those who, freed from the impurity of wickedness, have been brought near to God by their faith and sanctity, Acts xx. 32; xxvi.18.”
I am lovin this! Oh, that we will see what John 17 is saying to the church! Christ, Himself, was speaking about us in this prayer. It says so, right there in verse 20: “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;” That’s me and that’s you, if you are a believer in Christ.
In obedience to God the Father, Jesus the Son, gave us God’s Word (v. 14). He then asked God to, sanctify us by His truth and then proclaimed, “Your word is Truth.” So here Jesus is saying that God’s Word is Truth and it is by that Truth of God’s Word that we are sanctified. Then we see, from the lexicon, that being sanctified means to be made holy – to be consecrated and set apart for service to God. What God redeems, He purifies and what He purifies, He uses!
In the definition, we also see that “sanctify” means “to purify internally by reformation of soul” and according to John 8: 31-32, this takes place through knowledge of the truth. “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed, And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’ ” This truth needs to be revelation understanding in our spirits that then bears righteous fruit. We can and should be changed by God’s Word! And as a result, we will be made pure------- or cleaned up, from the inside out! Also, this passage is a great example of the “If -- Then Principle.” If you do one thing, then a specific something else results. If you abide in God’s Word, then you are His disciple and you will know the truth and be set free by it. Note also that this principle is qualified by believing Jesus. One must be a believer in order for the promise to manifest.
To “abide” means “to stand fast; to remain; go on being … to stay; reside (with, in or at).” Webster’s New world Dictionary of the American Language, page 3. The place where we abide is our abode, or dwelling place. In the natural, our home is our dwelling place. It is the place we come home to, in order to find our rest, security and nourishment daily. When we abide in God’s Word, we dwell in it on a daily basis, obtaining its life giving rest, security and nourishment. It is the place we come home to.
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