Today's Bible Reading: JOHN 15:18-17:26
John 17:17
Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
We are all looking for truth. We would rather have truth then a lie. Even if the truth hurts, it is always preferred over deception. The problem is that we live relishing the truth, but live in a relative world. Truth is often skewed or slanted to foster a favorable position or outcome. It is often wrapped in relativism. Absolutes are abandoned and truth has become a negotiable commodity that is easily replaced with false narratives and perceptions. People often abandon the truth or at least distort it for the more palatable and pleasant deception. Truth matters, but it is seldom manifested.
Here in our text Jesus is addressing His disciples. He knows that the deceiver desires to distort the truth of Scripture. The devil knows the sanctifying power of the truth of scripture. He knows that if saints and sinners alike take seriously the truths of scripture that their lives will be transformed and his investment in them will be terminated. So he seeks to direct them away from the truth of the Bible into a watered down depiction of truth that is less intrusive and more conducive to their worldly lifestyle.
Sanctification is the process of making a believer practically holy. It is formulating them to be like Jesus. It enables them to live and love like Jesus. Sanctification is affected by Scripture and empowered by the Spirit. The Scripture teaches us and the Spirit transforms us. They work in tandem to conform us into the image of Christ. The Scripture is truth. The Spirit guides us into all truth. We respond to the truth in Scripture and we are sanctified.
Jesus prays for this process. He asks the Father to sanctify us by His truth, attesting that His word is truth. Without the word of God impacting our life we will find little growth and maturity in our Christian walk. Our walk is affected by His Word. Where there is no Scripture, there is no sanctification. Jesus makes it clear that Scripture is instrumental in our sanctification.
When we hold to the word of God as the truth from God we dispel deception and develop as a disciple. But when we disregard God’s word, when we devalue it and when we disengage from it, then we diminish its affects in our conformity to Christ. Our sanctification is stalled when Scripture is slighted.
But when we delight in God’s word, when we do a deep into its depths we dismiss the devil’s deception. It is when we discern its riches and digest every morsel of its truth that we are transformed. We are changed. To neglect it is to nullify its sway in our sanctification. You can’t expect to experience holiness without His holy word. It is an essential element to excel in your faith. Don’t neglect God’s word.
Today thank God that the truth has been revealed to you. Praise Him that His word is truth. Ask Him to help you to be diligent to dive daily into His word that you might discern the truth and dispel Satan’s deceptions. Pray that His word may be translated into every know language and dialect so all may know and embrace the truth. Pray that you might be sanctified by the words of Scripture and the work of the Holy Spirit so that you might be conformed into the image of Christ.
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