Christ’s Prayer for the Church
J.C. Ryle (1816-1900) was a British scholar, Bishop, and author. Ryle excelled as a scholar and was converted late in his school days. Young Ryle had plans to pursue a career in politics before financial ruin forced him to consider other options. He then joined the church, and later celebrated the disappointments in his life that led him to this final calling. Ryle went on to write multiple books, the most widely-known of which is his commentary series, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels. Before his retirement and death in 1900, Ryle became the first Bishop of Liverpool.
“Set them apart in the truth; your word is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I set myself apart on their behalf, so that they too may be truly set apart.”
John 17:17-19
sanctify them through your truth.
These wonderful verses (17-26) form a fitting conclusion of the most wonderful prayer that was ever prayed on earth, the last Lord's prayer after the first Lord's Supper. They contain three most important petitions which our Lord offered up in behalf of His disciples. We should mark, first, how Jesus prays that His people may be sanctified. "Sanctify them," He says, "through your truth--Your word is truth."
Christ's blood alone can give us a title to enter the inheritance. Sanctification must give us a capacity to enjoy it.
We need not doubt that, in this place at any rate, the word "sanctify" means "make holy." It is a prayer that the Father would make His people more holy, more spiritual, more pure, more saintly in thought and word and deed, in life and character. Grace had done something for the disciples already: called, converted, renewed, and changed them. The great Head of the Church prays that the work of grace may be carried higher and further, and that His people may be more thoroughly sanctified and made holy in body, soul, and spirit, in fact more like Himself.
Surely we need not say much to show the matchless wisdom of this prayer. More holiness is the very thing to be desired for all servants of Christ. Holy living is the great proof of the reality of Christianity. Men may refuse to see the truth of our arguments, but they cannot evade the evidence of a godly life. Such a life adorns religion and makes it beautiful, and sometimes wins those who are not "won by the Word." Holy living trains Christians for heaven. The nearer we live to God while we live, the more ready shall we be to dwell forever in His presence when we die. Our entrance into heaven will be entirely by grace, and not of works; but heaven itself would be no heaven to us if we entered it with an unsanctified character. Our hearts must be in tune for heaven if we are to enjoy it. There must be a moral "fitness for the inheritance of the saints in light," as well as a title. Christ's blood alone can give us a title to enter the inheritance. Sanctification must give us a capacity to enjoy it.
those who walk with God most closely are always those who walk with Him most comfortably.
Who, in the face of such facts as these, need wonder that increased sanctification should be the first thing that Jesus asks for His people? Who that is really taught of God can fail to know that holiness is happiness, and that those who walk with God most closely, are always those who walk with Him most comfortably? Let no man deceive us with vain words in this matter. He who despises holiness and neglects good works, under the vain pretense of giving honor to justification by faith, shows plainly that he has not the mind of Christ.