John 17:17 (NRSVCE)
“ Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”
In the Old Testament, the people of GOD were called to sanctify themselves. He said in Leviticus 19:2, “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” They were called to be purified through the Law. God summoned them to observe the Sabbath for their sanctification (Ex. 31:13). GOD instructed them not to eat certain kinds of animals for that purpose (Lev. 11:44). Fasting and many other ways of sanctification were dictated through the Law and the atonement for their sins were done through offering and shedding the blood of unblemished animals, the later is the one that will sanctify them the most, it is the most holy to GOD (Ex. 30:30).
But sanctification through the Law became unending process. People of GOD did not attained perfection or holiness, they continued to sin after each and every ritual of sanctification. GOD became unsatisfied. Isaiah 58:2-3 says, “Yet day after day they seek me, and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness, and did not forsake the ordinance of their God; they ask of me righteous judgment... Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day, and oppress all your workers… Is such the fast that I choose?”
Even the blood offering of animals, the most holy to GOD became futile, became pointless way of sanctification to GOD. Isaiah 1:11,13 & 14 says “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats… bringing offerings is futile; incense is an abomination to me…”
Everything was profaned by people including the solemn assemblies that GOD ordained to sanctify them. Isaiah1:13-14 continued pointing the hollowness of the Law, the LORD said, “New moon and sabbath and calling of convocation— I cannot endure solemn assemblies with iniquity. Your new moons and your appointed festivals my soul hates; they have become a burden to me, I am weary of bearing them.”
And because, then the people of GOD, the Israelites, did not succeed to satisfy the Old Written Code, they strived, but their sanctification or righteousness has not been attained (Rom. 9:31). But GOD still want us to be holy (1 Pet 1:15). For this purpose, GOD send His Son Jesus Christ, the Word that became flesh to fulfill and satisfy the Law (Matt. 5:17, Rom. 8:3,4), GOD ended the Law through Jesus Christ so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes (Rom. 10:4).
Jesus satisfied and fulfilled the Law (John 19:30). “He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all… For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.” (Heb. 10:9,10,14). What Jesus abolish is the Law written in two tablets of stone by fulfilling it for us and establish the second; the Law of Spirit, the Law of Love (Jn. !3:34, Gal. 5:14) which He sown in our hearts so that perfection will be attained.
We are perfected when we believe in Jesus Christ, the Messiah, His death and resurrection. But like the Israelites in those days, the believers of Jesus Christ today, His church, had been and still from time to time forget what our Savior did, and deny the Law of the New Covenant which is written by the Spirit in our Hearts (2Cor. 3:3). This was foreseen by Jesus. He has done His part but He needs to give us the Advocate, the Spirit of truth to be in us, to continue sanctifying us (John 14:17). That’s why Jesus ask the Father this prayer; “But now I am coming to you… I have given them your word… Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth… And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.” (John 17:13,14,17,19). The believers had been sanctified through His blood once and for all, but will be perpetually be sanctified by God through the Spirit who is the truth (1 Jn. 5:6). The Spirit is the giver of Life, the words that Jesus have spoken to us are spirit and life (John 6:63). The words He spoken will make us holy.
We, the believers of the Eternal Word, the Church, cannot attained holiness on our own. It is impossible for the Israelites before and the same for us today, but for GOD, holiness for us is possible (Matt. 19:26). Jesus Christ did not only redeem us from the slavery of sin, but He will work through the Word to make us holy. Ephesians 5:25-27 says, “… just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, in order to make her holy by cleansing her with the washing of water by the word, so as to present the church to himself in splendor, without a spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind—yes, so that she may be holy and without blemish.” The True Church of GOD is the one being sanctified in Jesus Christ (1Cor. 1:2).
It is clearly the work of the Spirit, the work of the Word to sanctify us. By listening to the Word, we accept the Spirit that will clean us. John 15:3 says, “You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you.” In addition, GOD wants also His worshipers to worship HIM in Spirit and in Truth because that’s His way to please Him. John 4:23-24 says, “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” True worshipers compose the True Church in the Spirit and Truth.
In the Old Written Code, there’s food restrictions. But now there’s a change. 1 Timothy 4:4-5 it states “For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, provided it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by God’s word and by prayer.” Sanctification is by the Spirit and through belief in the truth (2 Thess. 2:13).
It is clear then that through immersion in the Word, which is the Truth, which is also the Spirit, that everyone will be sanctified, to become without a spot or wrinkle or anything of a kind. So let’s pray and submit ourselves to GOD with a humble heart, that we may become the True Church that Jesus sanctified through GOD’s Word. Praise be to the WORD of GOD. AMEN.
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