Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. John 17:17
We find ourselves today in the middle of Jesus’ prayer in John’s Gospel. Jesus is praying to the Father that his disciples (and us) be sanctified in truth. Jesus declares that God’s word is that truth. I want to focus on the word “sanctify.”
The Greek word ἁγίασον (ha-gia-son), translated in English as sanctify, holds multiple meanings: consecrate, separate, and venerate. To consecrate means to bless and keep in the light of the holiness of God. To separate means to keep from the profane things of the world. And to venerate means to be respectable and revered before the world. All three meanings work in harmony as the Lord’s disciples are representatives or ambassadors before the world. Therefore their lives should reflect blessedness, godliness, and respectability as they bare the message God Most High.
More importantly, sanctification is an act of God’s Holy Spirit, which is why Jesus asks for this for his followers. It is a lifelong process of continued holiness, diligent separation from evil, and reverence and respect before God and the world.
Finally, isn’t it neat that Jesus prayed for our sanctification?! So turn it into a lifelong commitment to be self-aware of our blessings in the light of serving 42, our choices when interacting in the world, and our behaviors as they reflect upon Jesus.
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