John 17:17 Sanctify them through your truth: your word is truth. (Text and ver. 19): — I. THE SAVIOUR'S PURPOSE OF REDEMPTION. "For their sakes," &c. 1. Here you have the motive of Calvary and of all that Christ does — the production of spiritual character. Other motives there are and other results. In the Cross Christ shares and so ends the curse; destroys estrangement, and brings us nigh; gives the consolation of life and death; reveals God. But the main thing is here. We are not delivered from sin till we are enfranchised from its power. Forgiveness sets us at liberty for salvation. It is not where we are in this world or the next, but what we are, that is the main thing. 2. The style of character that Christ aims at reaching — consecration. Now hardly any one thinks of it. (1) The whole object of many is to become faultless, and they may pursue this end as selfishly as any other, in order to reach complacency. But you gain but little if you merely destroy your faults. Many who plume themselves upon reaching the sinless state have but little to boast of, for their virtues are simply vices, tied like Samson's foxes, by the tail. (2) Not mere self-culture, to Which others direct their energies, the development of the easier and pleasanter virtues, but self-surrender is what Christ wants, every faculty laid on the altar, the heart alert to serve its God. And what is this but the service of man? What you do to the least of mankind you do to the greatest God. Live for another and your life expands." The greatest of all achievements is when we give ourselves to God, not saying that anything we have is our own. 3. That they may be consecrate as He is consecrate. The word never had its full meaning till Christ used it here. It means all the stooping to Bethlehem; the spirit that accepted Calvary is what Christ calls consecration. There is no believer in man like Jesus. He expects us to have the same mind that was in Him. God's life is self-sacrifice; and in the degree in which we are lifted up into that life, that character marks our lives, and Christ's aim is fulfilled. But in the degree in which we are void of that, we are void of the essential element of the Christian life. II. THE INSTRUMENT THROUGH WHICH CHRIST EXPECTS THIS CHARACTER TO BE DEVELOPED — the truth. 1. None of you find fault with the word being put here, but you would not have put it here. We would have put "grace" or "Holy Spirit," some word indicating a dynamic energy changing the soul. But truth seems to so work through the mere intellect that it hardly occurs to us to look at it as the secret of consecration. The fact is we are indifferent to truth. Our more orthodox brethren think that we have got enough of it, and need not go on investigating; are rather afraid what the truth of science may bring out, and Biblical criticism constrain us to believe; shrink from its investigation lest something may turn out to be true that would not be helpful. And our broader brethren are equally satisfied with the mist on the face of things, not pursuing to definite conclusions the light with which God visits them. 2. Now Christ believes in truth very wonderfully. He utters the paradox that the Holy Spirit is the Comforter, because He guides into all truth. None but Christ would have said that. We think the Comforter is He who gives sweet illusions and hides naked realities. Nay, naked reality is consolation of the deepest kind. Here Christ is on the same line. Truth is the great sanctifier. There is no ray of truth that ever came from the Father of lights that does not hallow the heart on which it falls. It is not make believe that will give you sanctity. (1) The truth about God. Every attribute you behold engages your love, quickens your trust, makes you wish to serve Him. (2) The truth about Christ, His work, love, humanity, Godhead, intercession, &c., is all quickening. (3) The truth about man. Oh, if we could have it, and see man in God's light — something lovable in the worst, something saveable in the lowest — how it would take away our despair, engage our service, quicken our love. Every error of life springs from an error of thought. A lie is the root of all evil. III. THE POWER THAT IMPARTS THE SANCTIFYING IS GOD. Has not this been lost sight of? What we want is God in us. It might have been thought that Christ should have said, "That they may consecrate themselves." No, we can only get the hallowing truth from God. Who else can teach it? Not Biblical dictionaries or revival hymns. He who inspired the truth must Himself interpret it. (R. Glover.) Parallel Verses KJV: Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. |
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