Sanctify Yourself

I sanctify Myself for them, so they also may be sanctified by the truth.

John 17:19 (HCSB)

Being an example isn't always easy, but it's the only effective and productive way to convince others and get them to follow in your footsteps. You can teach them all you want, but if they don't have an example to follow, they will fall, fail, and some will even abandon the path they were meant to follow. This is what Jesus did for his disciples so that they could fully sanctify themselves and walk in God's way. He sanctified himself.

When Jesus says he sanctifies himself, it means he gives himself entirely to fulfilling what the Father has entrusted to him. He fully embraces his mission and the risks that accompany it. He focuses entirely on God's will; he sets himself apart for Him. He was tempted by Satan. The Pharisees sought to bring him down. The people saw in him the one who would free them from Roman oppression. Yet he was not influenced or carried away by all this; he dedicated himself to God and His will.

Jesus set us a perfect example of sanctification. He set himself apart to please God by fulfilling His desire to save humanity. Have you taken seriously Christ's example by sanctifying yourself for God's work? Notice what Jesus said: "That they also may be sanctified through the truth." He is the truth. He is the Word that reveals God's plan of salvation to us. Sanctifying ourselves does not mean withdrawing from the world, but dedicating ourselves to living according to the desires of God's heart in a failing world.

May the grace and peace of God be with you all.