That we may be sanctified in truth

Today we continue our Easter sermon series by looking at a third reason from John 17 explaining why Jesus came to the earth. The first reason was so that we may know God. The second reason was that we may be filled with joy! The third reason, and the one we will examine today, is found in John 17:17-19 and is that we may be sanctified in truth.

Three times in these three verses the Greek word hagiazō, (hag-ee-ad´-zo) is used. In verse 17 Jesus said, “Sanctify them in the truth” an din verse 19, “And for their sake I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.” These statements about sanctification teach us so much about the awesome character of God, but if we are to understand them, be changed by them, and increase in our love for our God and King, we must first understand the meaning of the word sanctify.

The Greek word translated sanctify means to set apart. The word carries the idea of taking something common, changing it, and using it for a specially designed purpose.

Using the definition of sanctify, let’s re-read the passage. Set them apart in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I set myself apart, that they also may be set apart in truth.

In this passage, there are two statements made about sanctification. First, Jesus prays that his disciples might be sanctified, or set apart, and then he states that he has sanctified himself. Contextually, Jesus is speaking specifically to his close disciples, but the truth also applies to all Christians who love and obey Jesus.

So what does it all mean? What did it mean for Jesus? What did it mean for his disciples? What does it mean for us today, and how does the truth that Jesus came to sanctify us in truth change us? After struggling to come up with the right words this last week that wouldn’t bore you all to death with some large theological exposition, I realized it would work much better through illustration.

Imagine you are in your kitchen looking at your sink. The right side of the sink is filled with dirty cups of all shapes and sizes: mugs, teacups, tall glasses, plastic cups, water bottles, etc. The left side of the sink is clean with warm running water, and on the counter stands a beautiful and sparkling crystal wine glass. Part of the truth of sanctification is this: you walk to the sink and select a dirty cup from the mounding pile. You take that cup and wash it in the warm running water. After drying it, you place it on the counter next to the crystal glass where it is ready to be set on the table for mealtime. That cup which you have chosen and washed has been prepared for a special purpose: to be used for mealtime. It has been set apart; it has been sanctified. The same thing happens with people.

All people by nature are sinful and dirty. We can do nothing to clean ourselves because everything we are and everything we know is dirty. If we tried to wash ourselves, we’d only be able to use filthy, rancid water and so we’d never end up clean. But God, because he is the only one by nature set apart from the rest of creation, in his grace chooses a filthy cup (1 Peter 1:1-2), washes us clean by the truth of Jesus’ blood sacrifice, a sacrifice for which Jesus himself was special set apart for, (John 1:1, 14:6, Revelation 1:5), and then sets us apart in Jesus. Paul sums it up well in 1 Corinthians 6:11: “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” Having been chosen by God for Jesus and having been set apart by God through Jesus, we are given by God to Jesus. This is the first truth of sanctification.

The second truth is this: having been washed and set apart, the ordinary cup now needs to be changed to look like Jesus and be made ready for the royal banquet. Sanctification is also the process by which we are transformed to be like Jesus. Hebrews 10:14 says, “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” And 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 says, “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”

As with this first part of sanctification which could also be described as one’s salvation, this second process is also done by God. Christians are being sanctified. Every time the word sanctify is used in the New Testament, it is always an act done by God for people. “He will surely do it.” For those whom God has chosen for Jesus and set apart through Jesus and given to Jesus, he also changes to become like Jesus!

Why? Why does God do these things? Why does God bestow to us such awesome and undeserved gifts? I believe the answer to be this: He so desires to have unhindered fellowship with us and for us to have unhindered fellowship with him and to participate with him in his unique set apart status. The purpose and end result of sanctification is unhindered fellowship with God as we participate with him in his unique set apart status.

The absolute awesome privilege of sanctification is that God is inviting people into fellowship with him and into participation of his unique set apart status. Work needs to be done for us to experience this privileged honor: we need to be brought out of our sin, washed in the blood of Christ, and transformed into the image of Christ, but it’s work that God alone is able and pleased to do.

Yet the Christian has no reason to boast in their special status before God because this is purely a work of God. The Christian is the recipient of God’s glorious grace. We have contributed noting to our salvation except the sin from which we need to be saved. Not even the faith of a Christian may rightly be said to be their own for how could a sanctifying faith that can move mountains grow from the depravity of sinful and rebellious hearts? No, even faith is a gift from God and we may righty say along with Paul that the grace and faith of our salvation is a gift from God so that no one may boast.

And it’s only by the washing in the blood sacrifice of Jesus on the cross that any sinner may be sanctified and brought into eternal fellowship with his Almighty God and loving Creator. By the truth of Jesus are we sanctified.

Jesus came to the earth so that we may be sanctified in truth.