John 17:17 English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁷ Sanctify them^[a] in the truth; your word is truth.

Footnotes: a Greek Set them apart (for holy service to God)

Vines Expository Encyclopedia for the Greek word rendered sanctify is; the separation of the believer from the world in his behavior — by the Father through the Word.

The footnote is a reflective reaction to encourage readers to go a step beyond the definition and remind them they are servants of God. While this is true, it appears to be a distraction from the truth which is the vehicle of delivery of sanctification. I say vehicle because you have to get in a vehicle in order for it to take you anywhere.

Jesus is the Truth, Jesus is the Word made flesh. We know this from John’s gospel, chapter 1.

John 14:20 English Standard Version (ESV) In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.

I seems easier to see Christ in us than it does us being in Christ. How we feel about ourselves hinders that vision because we know deep down we are sinners and He is holy. We would defile Him to our minds thinking. God has sanctified us unto Himself. His Word is truth, even if we don’t see it exactly as He does.

On the brighter side of John 17:17 having the Word reside in us changes us from the inside out. Change is relative to position and being in Christ those changes are because He performs them. A changed heart will insist on right actions and behaviors change.

Read God’s Word, which is in you, confirming what is true and the mind we begin to see the truth and align itself with the condition of the new heart.

Ezekiel 36:26 English Standard Version (ESV) And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Psalm 51:17 English Standard Version (ESV) The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Does God only save those with a broken heart? Probably not because I do not hae any experience in finding Jesus in a loving family that showed me how great a love He is to us. Coming to Christ from a love standpoint is gentle. Praise God for parents and grandparents that raised up a generation to know love and not heartbreak.

We tend to deal with what we know. “This is my experience, can you relate?” It is our most effective witness because it was real and painful and necessary. Life teaches us need and there are only two sources of fulfillment, self-gratification and gracious giving.

Self-gratification does not recognize Ps 51:17 as valid or necessary. The more selfish the person the greater the distain for others. Love of self becomes a user and the true meaning of love escapes them.

What if your primary necessity is to be loved? Can people fill that empty void in your heart that cries out? Needy people tend to cling with a tight grip and do not see that love flourishes in freedom. No amount of understanding of the concept of love replaces the love that is missing which is perfect.

Perfect love only exists in God. Look to Ps 51:17 again and read it this way.

God sacrifice a broken spirit, a broken heart and a contrite heart because He loves us perfectly.

It cost God His Son. Sending His Son into the world meant losing Him from the throne of heaven. Sending Him to die as the sacrifice for all mankind’s sins broke His heart. The hardest thing any Father has ever done is to put another’s sins upon His own Son. Innocence died in Christ that day.

We don’t look at it that way because we can only see the need in ourselves.

Accept Christ into your heart and that will change.