Do You Live In The Truth?

 ¹⁴ I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. ¹⁵ I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. ¹⁶ They do not belong to this world any more than I do. ¹⁷ Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. ¹⁸ Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world.
-John 17:14-18 (NLT) 

Today, I want us to focus on verse 17. "Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth." Jesus is praying that God, the Father, makes us holy. What does He mean by this request? The Greek word for holy is "hagios." That word means "likeness of nature with the Lord" because "different from the world." Jesus is praying that God makes us in the likeness of Him, for us to be different from the world. How many Christians are living more like the world than like Christ? But, I think there is more to this verse than that.

Look at the second comment of Jesus, "teach them your word, which is truth." Jesus first prays that God would makes us in the likeness of Him, and make us different from the world, by His truth. Then He prays that God would teach us His word, and His word is truth. Do you see it? We are made in the likeness of God through the truth, which is the word of God, because the word of God is the truth. We are made into the likeness of God through our relationship with Jesus, because Jesus is the truth and His words are the truth. Jesus said in John 14:6 "Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." God's Word is the truth, Jesus is the truth. He is the way to God, and He alone gives life to those who accept Him as Lord and Savior. Jesus said in John 14:23-24, "Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. ²⁴ Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me." 

 Do you love Jesus? Are you keeping His words? His words are the truth, and it's only through His words that we can grow into the likeness of Him. Think About It.