Verse of the Day 10/12

 John 17:17Amplified Bible (AMP) ¹⁷Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy] by the Truth; Your Word is Truth.

 

Sanctification, its one of those "big" words in theology, big in the number of letters, big in doctrinal importance, and big in relevance in the life of a Christian.  It is the process of how the Christian is transformed, how their mind is renewed (Rom. 12:2).  The Amplified Bible translation above helps describe what happens in that transformation.  It involves purification, removing things from our lives that hinder our spiritual growth.  Consecration, setting ourselves apart from God, giving Him priority in our lives, changing our motives.  In this process we are set apart for Christ to do His good works, it happens by faith (Eph. 2:8-10). 

It happens through His word, working in and through us to change us.

 

Michael Horton writes, "On my best days, my experience of transformation is weak, but the gospel is an announcement of a certain state of affairs that exists because of something in God, not something in me; something that God has done, not something that I have done; the love in God's heart which he has shown in his Son, not the love in my heart that I exhibit in my relationships. Precisely as the Good News of a completed, sufficient, and perfect work of God in Christ accomplished for me and outside of me in history, the gospel is 'the power of God unto salvation' not only at the beginning but throughout the Christian life. In fact, our sanctification is simply a lifelong process of letting that Good News sink in and responding appropriately; becoming the people whom God says that we already are in Christ."— "The Gospel Driven Life". 

 

John 17 is Jesus prayer for us.  This is His desire for us that we be sanctified, set apart, and transformed through His word, His truth.  Won't you make it a point to spend more time with it, let it sink in?  As it does it will change your life.

Blessings,
Mike
Follow the verse of the day at www.mikesvotd.blogspot.com

John 17:15-19  New Living Translation (NLT)

¹⁵ I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. ¹⁶ They do not belong to this world any more than I do. ¹⁷ Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. ¹⁸ Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. ¹⁹ And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.