1 Thess. 5:23-27, John 17:9-19, Sanctification (1)

Think back for a moment to 1 Th. 4.  Paul began the chapter saying finally.  His concern in the final subject with their walk (day to day life) and his concern was based in the fact that this is the will of God, your sanctification (4:3).  This was followed by teaching on sexual purity, brotherly love, proper grieving for Christians, living in light of Jesus’ soon return, and the teaching on how to live in the Body of Christ.  These are all issues of our walk, issues of sanctification. 

There is another major issue of our walk in Christ and that’s the issue of preservation or endurance.  From our point of view it is the issue of faithfulness.  In this letter the Apostle has encouraged the believers to increase and abound in love to one another and to all (3:13).  He said it again in 4:9: we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more (in brotherly love).  This church was good at faith, hope and love (1:3) but they needed to increase, to continue to grow.

Paul brings these two together in 5:23: May God sanctify you completely and may you be preserved.  But what is interesting is that Jesus, in the prayer in Jn. 17 also brought these two truths together.  In praying for His disciples in 17:11-12,15 He prayed that the Father would keep them ( the English keep and preserve are the same Greek word).  He wants none of them to be lost.  In 17:17,19 He prayed for their sanctification.

Why do both Jesus and Paul place these two truths side by side?  And why do they make them both a matter of prayer?  In answer to the latter question, it is because these are issues of obedience and obedience always depends on God being at work in our lives.  Neither our likeness to Christ (i.e. our Christian walk, our sanctification) nor our faithfulness in that walk is achievable in the flesh.  It depends on God’s work and so it is a matter of prayer. 

As to the first question, it is clear that these two truths are the broadest depiction of the life we live in Christ.  Our likeness to Christ must extend to every area of life.  Our likeness to Christ must endure from the moment we are born again until the day we stand before Christ.  Our sanctification must be as wide and as long as our lives.

There is much to be said about these truths in the days to come.  For today we want to call attention to what Jesus said in Jn. 17:17: Sanctify them through Thy truth; Thy word is truth.  As always, God’s provision for our sanctification and perseverance will depend on His word.  So let us keep in mind what Ps. 119:89 and 96 say about God’s word (these two verses are the beginning and end of one of the stanzas of Ps. 119).  Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven.  The word is eternal; it truth and power will never fail us.  I have seen the consummation of all perfection, but Your commandment is exceedingly broad.  God’s word covers the entire breadth of our lives.  Preservation and sanctification, keeping and being made holy to God, is the work of God in answer to the prayer of Christ!