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God’s Word The Means Of Our Sanctification, March 28
And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified
through the truth.
John 17:19
.
Before Jesus went forth to His final conflict with the powers of darkness, He
lifted up His eyes to heaven, and prayed for His disciples. He said: “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.” ...
The burden of Jesus’ request was that those who believed on Him might be
kept from the evil of the world, and be sanctified through the truth. He does not
leave us to vague surmising as to what the truth is, but adds, “Thy word is truth.”
The Word of God is the means by which our sanctification is to be accomplished.
It is of the greatest importance, then, that we acquaint ourselves with the sacred
instruction of the Bible.
It is as necessary for us to understand the words of life as it was for the early
disciples to be informed concerning the plan of salvation. We shall be inexcusable
if, through our own negligence, we are ignorant of the claims of God’s Word. God
has given us His Word, the revelation of His will, and has promised the Holy Spirit
to them that ask Him, to guide them into all truth; and every soul who honestly
desires to do the will of God shall know of the doctrine....
The mission of Jesus was demonstrated by convincing miracles. His doctrine
astonished the people.... It was a system of truth that met the wants of the heart.
His teaching was plain, clear, and comprehensive. The practical truths He uttered
had a convincing power, and arrested the attention of the people. Multitudes
lingered at His side, marveling at His wisdom. His manner corresponded with the
great truths He proclaimed. There was no apology, no hesitancy, not the shadow
of a doubt or uncertainty that it might be other than He declared. He spoke of the
earthly and the heavenly, of the human and the divine, with positive authority; and
the people “were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.” ...
It is a matter of the highest importance and interest to us that we understand
what truth is, and our petitions should go forth with intense earnestness that we
may be guided into all truth.
David appreciated the divine enlightenment, and recognized the power of the
Word of God. He declared, “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth
understanding unto the simple.” Let those who desire light search the Scriptures,
comparing scripture with scripture, and pleading with God for the illumination of
the Holy Spirit. The promise is that those who seek shall find.—
The Review and
Herald, July 6, 1911
.
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