Sanctification by Means of the Truth
Sanctification by Means of the Truth
Background
Jesus high priestly prayer in John 17.
Jesus is preparing his disciples for his crucifixion. Their world is going to be turned upside down. They didn’t totally understand his meaning concerning going away where they couldn’t go with him, and that he would return.
He wanted their joy complete and that they would overcome evil in this world.
That through them the word of truth given them from the Father would be received by the world and all men would be brought to the Father.
John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth.
Understanding Sanctification
Sanctification in its simplest meaning is the setting apart of a person or a thing from a common to a holy use.
This word means to render pure or to cleanse from sins, 1Th_5:23; 1Co_6:11.
Sanctification in the heart of a Christian is progressive.
It consists in his becoming more like God and less attached to the world; in his getting the ascendency over evil thoughts, and passions, and impure desires; and in his becoming more and more weaned from earthly objects, and attached to those things which are unseen and eternal.
The reception of God's word into our hearts and the complete surrender to his will speak in his word.
Why Sanctify?
1. Christ next prayed for the disciples that they might not only be kept from evil, but made good. It is the prayer of Jesus for all that are his, which they may be made holy.
To overcome the world
“All that does not emanate from the Father and which is inconsistent with perfect love, purity and truth is of the world”.
2. Here in John 17 Jesus prays for His disciples who are already clean (John 13:10), “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”
3. We are being sanctified, separated from the power of sin.
4. It is God’s process of purifying His bride as Paul writes in Ephesians 5:26, “that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”
5. Sanctification is when we will be like our Lord Jesus Christ in glory (1 John 3:2). Paul prays for this in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” In glory we will be sanctified, separated forever from the presence of sin.
6. The love of God. Love has a power of making men holy.
Sanctification by Means of the Truth (John 17:17)
Truth is a representation of things as they are.
To see things as they are is to see God to be infinitely lovely and pure;
Listen again to John 17:17, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” In John 17:14 Jesus prays, “I have given them Your word.” And again in John 17:19 He prays, “…that they also may be sanctified by the truth.” Sanctification comes by God’s truth, “in the context of the truth, in the realm of the truth, in the paradigm of the truth, in the presence of the truth, and that is to say by means of the truth”
Warren Weirsbe points out that:
God’s truth has been given to us in three “editions”:
His Word is truth (John 17:17);
His Son is the truth (John 14:6);
His Spirit is the truth (John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13; 1 John 5:6).
We need all three if we are to experience true sanctification, a sanctification that touches every part of our inner person. With the mind, we learn God’s truth through the Word. With the heart, we love God’s truth, His Son. With the will, we yield to the Spirit and live God’s truth day by day. It takes all three for a balanced experience of sanctification.
Jesus calls God’s word “the truth.”
He doesn’t say that God’s word contains the truth or that it is one truth among many. Rather, its very essence is truth. It is the absolute, final, eternal source and standard of truth against which all else is to be measured. God’s truth does not vary from culture to culture or from age to age. Spurgeon said,
The Scripture alone is absolute truth, essential truth, decisive truth, authoritative truth, undiluted truth, eternal, everlasting truth.
Truth given us in the word of God is that which is to sanctify all believers to the end of time: God will use it to that end. … The truth, when fully used, will daily destroy sin, nourish grace, suggest noble desires, and urge to holy acts.
Jesus says that God’s word will sanctify us or set us apart from the world for God’s purpose.
Sanctification is the process where God continually makes us more holy, more like Christ, through the power of His Holy Spirit by His word.
It is growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 3:18).
To overcome the world permeates society
The world has always been in collision with Christ, because His teaching reverses everything that the world prizes.
Moral transformation.
The process of the Christian life.
Security from evil wholly devoted to the service of God
Ask ourselves
1. Is sanctification a matter of interest to us?
2. Are we asking God to begin, carry on, and complete it?
3. Are we bringing our souls into close and frequent contact with the truth?
4. Are we remembering the mission for which we are sanctified?
We are set apart from the world, dedicated to God, purified by the truth of His word so that God could send us into the world with the good news that Jesus saves. J. C. Ryle comments,
“More holiness is the very thing to be desired for all servants of Christ. Holy living is the great proof of the reality of Christianity. Men may refuse to see the truth of our arguments, but they cannot evade the evidence of a godly life.”
We are sanctified in the truth of God’s word so that we can testify to the truth of God’s word.
Concluding questions:
Jesus prays “sanctify them.” What area of your life needs to be set apart, dedicated and purified?
In what ways are you making sure God’s word is continually sanctifying and cleansing you?
How has God set you apart to be on mission in this world?
