Literature Ministries International

Literature Ministries International


[ return to web page ]

Make text bigger | Make text smaller
MARCH: Jesus' Prayer for Us

March 17

“SANCTIFY THEM”

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
John 17:17

What does our Lord mean when He prays, “Sanctify them through thy truth” or “in thy truth”? We need to be very careful at this point in our definition of the term sanctify, because we must interpret it bearing in mind that the same word is used in John 17:19: “And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” In verse 19 our Lord uses exactly the same word about Himself as He uses with regard to His followers here. So we must start by arriving at a true definition of what is meant by “sanctify.”

Now it is generally agreed that there are two main senses in which this word is used throughout the Bible. The first sense of“sanctify”—and we must always put this one first because it is the one most emphasized in Scripture—is to set apart for God and for God’s service. So you will find that this term sanctify is not only used of men—it is used even of a mountain, the holy mount on which the law was given to Moses. Mount Sinai was sanctified, it was set apart for a special function and purpose, in order that God might use it to give His revelation of the law.

The word is used, too, of buildings and of vessels, instruments and utensils, and various things that were used in the Tabernacle and the Temple. Anything that is devoted to or set aside for God and for His service is sanctified. So there is a double aspect to this primary meaning of the word. It means, first, a separation from everything that contaminates and perverts, and the second, positive aspect is that something or someone is devoted wholly to God and to His use.

A Thought to Ponder
To sanctify is to set apart for God and for God’s service.

From Sanctified Through the Truth, pp. 8-9.



Today’s devo is taken from Walking with God Day by Day © 2003 by Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

"Walking with God Day by Day" emailed to you!
To have Walking with God emailed directly to you each day, type your email address in the box below and click on "Subscribe me!" FOR YOUR SECURITY you'll receive a follow-up email asking you to confirm your subscription request, and YOU MUST REPLY TO THAT EMAIL before you will be subscribed to Walking with God.





This page was reproduced from http://litmin.org/walking.php




Walking with God Archive

January
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31  

February
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29  

March
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31  

April
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30  

May
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31  

June
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30  

July
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31  

August
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31  

September
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30  

October
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31  

November
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30  

December
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31