John 17:17 “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.”
What is the sanctifying word of truth that Jesus had in mind? I suggest from John 13-16, the context reveals that the word that God gave Jesus to give to His disciples that sets them (and us) apart to God and apart from this world is this word: “A new commandment I give to you that you love one another as I have loved you. Abide in my love.” I summarize that word with the phrase “live to love with Jesus.”
Jesus asked the Father to set His disciples apart, sanctify them, through His call to love with Him. It is love, the supernatural sustaining of the will toward the highest good of another, no matter what the cost, that sets them apart from everyone who is of the world. Yes, it is true that God’s word, in general, has a sanctifying affect. But the context of this passage reveals that Jesus had a specific “word” in mind, not merely the general word of God. He’s thinking of the specific word that the Father had given Him to give to them. The word that manifested the Father’s name that His disciples believed and received. That word was the new commandment to believe Jesus is God and love with Him.
Stop and think about how everyone who believes that Jesus is God and believes that God is love is believing the truth about God and about life. If God is love and Jesus is God, then what impact would that word have on those who believe? It would change everything! They would be set apart, sanctified out of this world and sanctified to God. As they lived to love with Jesus, it would reveal the truth that Jesus is God, is alive, and God is love! He has died and risen to life. He lives in them! Father, sanctify us with this truth; Your word is truth.
Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com
