Hi Steemians! For day 5 of the #bibleliteracychallenge I've chosen John 17:17.
Last night I began compiling a set of notes on truth for my ethics classes. There, we probe into deep questions such as "What is truth?" and "Can there be a 'your truth' that differs from 'my truth'?"
The concept of truth is a serious issue that is being challenged today in Western cultures, and as such, it needs an honest discussion.
In this verse, let's focus on 3 key words: Sanctify, truth, and word.
"Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth."
Sanctify comes from the Greek word, hagiazo, and means to be consecrated or set apart for something or to something. In the context of this verse, Jesus is praying to God that those who believe His testimony be sanctified, or set apart from the ways of a world that is hostile to God.
Truth is translated from the Greek word aletheia, and it means reality, facts, or things as they really are. Truth is an absolute reality.
Word is from the Greek term, logos, and captures an amazing concept. Think of the logos as the mind, or reason of God that sustains the world. It embodies the rational construct, such as the laws of nature, created space and time, and the moral laws. Hebrews 1:1-3 explains:
"In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. . ."
Application
We often discuss something called "Sustainable Development" in my classes. If you are new to this terminology, let me quickly explain: Sustainable Development is a developing concept which seeks to overturn the traditional ways of thinking about man, God, and each of their roles in the universe.
For example, instead of viewing a household full of children as a blessing from God, Sustainable Development teaches that we should have fewer children to lessen the impact on the environment.
"Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court." -Psalm 127:5
This movement is spreading rapidly throughout the world, and it is anti-Christian at its core. Sure, there are some good elements to it, such as being good stewards of Creation, but do not be deceived. Even Satan "masquerades as an angel of light" as we are warned in 2 Corinthians 11:14-15:
"And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve."
I encourage you to write this verse in your heart to remind you to be so filled with God's truth that you aren't led astray by the doctrine of Sustainable Development.
If you have children and want to know how Sustainable Development is already being taught in public schools, I encourage you to read my post, "How Schools use 'Character Education' to Brainwash our Kids".
You are invited to Join the 30-Day #bibleliteracychallenge!
I invite you all to this 30-day Bible Literacy Challenge! The goal with the Steemit 30-day Bible Literacy Challenge is to help you to memorize at least 1 Bible verse per day for 30 days.
Who's with me?
How to do the 30-day Bible Literacy Challenge:
Resteem and upvote this post (if you'd like to).
Create a photo of a Bible verse you've written down or typed, along with the #bibleliteracychallenge tag and your Steemit name. For those who may need a little help, I use Canva to create the photos with text overlay.
Don't forget to add the title Bible Literacy Challenge and tag your post #bibleliteracychallenge
Somewhere on your post indicate which day you are on in your own personal challenge. For me, this post marks day 5.
Don't forget to resteem and upvote to encourage biblical literacy!
