Sanctify

by Wayne Blank

"I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through Thy Truth: Thy Word is truth. As Thou hast sent Me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word; That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me." (John 17:15-21 KJV)

"That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word"

The English word sanctify is used to translate the original Greek word of the Holy Scriptures, pronounced hag-ee-ad-zo, which means to set apart for holy use. The words sanctuary and saint are also directly related to this principle. God's true people are set apart to Him by their faith, being faithful, to Him, to His Word.

Holy Bible The apostle Paul (see Paul's Ministry) made the sanctify and faith connection by an analogy of marriage in which faith means being faithful.

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word [see also Living Waters], That He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."
"So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh."
"This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church" (Ephesians 5:25-32 KJV)

The "Word of God" is dual in meaning; it means the words of God as recorded in the Holy Scriptures, but it also means Jesus Christ, The Logos.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made ... And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:1-3,14 KJV)

Fact Finder: How does adultery apply to both physical and spiritual matters?
See "Thou shalt not commit adultery"

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