Your authority only comes AFTER your acknowledgement of His authority

Take a moment to think about how clever this design is!

And for their sakes I sanctify G37 myself, that they also might be sanctified G37 through the truth. – Joh 17:19

Many bibles use two different words there, but you can see the greek is the same both times, G37.

Jesus Christ sanctified Himself, SO THAT we (the ones who believe) are sanctified through Him. In other words, we can only have this after we agree that Jesus Christ had this first.

What does it means that Jesus Christ sanctified you on His cross?

G37, ἁγιάζω, hagiazō

Thayer Definition:

1) to render or acknowledge, or to be venerable or hallow

2) to separate from profane things and dedicate to God

2a) consecrate things to God

2b) dedicate people to God

3) to purify

3a) to cleanse externally

3b) to purify by expiation: free from the guilt of sin

3c) to purify internally by renewing of the soul

Part of Speech: verb

The word G37 comes from G40, so let’s look at G40 for a deeper meaning which might astonish you!

G40, ἅγιος, hagios

Thayer Definition:

1) most holy thing, a saint

Part of Speech: adjective

You are purified, a most holy saint! Wow, isn’t the the work that Jesus Christ did on the cross simply astonishing? Believe what He has to say about you and you will receive it! It’s a free gift.

It is possible that you (like me) are wrapped up in sin every day. I was in intense bondage until I began to renew my mind and receive what He has done for me. Bit by bit I contended for this faith, with a struggle and wrestling match, my mind became renewed more and more, and the fruit of unrighteousness was removed and the fruit of His righteousness grew more and more.

BELIEVE what Jesus Christ says about the new you which He has made you to be. When you believe in Jesus Christ, you come into union with Him, you have a new nature – one which is sanctified (both hagiazō and hagios) and there is no old you left for the enemy to claim dominion over.

The bible says Jesus Christ did many things for you and for this world. Believe as many of them as you can contend for, and the fruit of righteousness will begin to grow in your life and in the world around you.

Php 1:9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

The fruit of sin (which is death) reigned in this world until now, that fruit is to be replaced… the fruit of righteousness (which comes as a free gift – grace – from Jesus Christ)…

So that, [just] as sin has reigned in death, [so] grace (His unearned and undeserved favor) might reign also through righteousness (right standing with God) which issues in eternal life through Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) our Lord – Rom 5:21

YOUR faith in Jesus Christ, YOUR decision to receive His grace – His free gift – is what causes this fruit of righteousness to grow in this world. Instead of death reigning, now it is the grace of Jesus Christ which will begin reigning. Your decision to believe in Jesus Christ matters to more than just yourself, it matters to the people and the whole world around you!

The key is to behold Jesus Christ first, then you can come into His likeness and His fullness. You can’t earn it, it is a free gift… it is His grace. But if you don’t believe that Jesus Christ Who the bible says that He is, or that Jesus Christ has done what the bible says that He has done… then you won’t see the fruit grow in your life.

I can’t get over the clever design that God has used here. When you FIRST acknowledge His Lordship over absolutely everything, THEN your union with Him results in you being able to walk as He did and do greater things than He did…

for “In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’ – Act 17:28

Your authority only comes AFTER your acknowledgement of His authority. In that way it is delegated power.

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. – Joh 15:5

Only His discples can have His authority. To be a disciple you need to have decided to recieve His free gifts…

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. – Joh 17:20-21