Identity | Lecture 9 : BC110-IC-20260910

All right. Okay. Good morning. Good morning once again everybody. We shall continue our study on who we are in Christ. I hope u all of us are able to learn. Um so today we are going to study about sanctification or our position in Christ. as we are sanctified in Christ uh we are made holy in Christ so we're going to look into that um so let's uh please begin so the word sanctification as such when we study about this uh is an important word um and sometimes it's a little scary word as well holy when we hear that word especially um talking about sinless uh being sinless and all of that being pure it's a little scary word isn't it but let's try to understand the meaning of this word and I try to see from the word of god what is god calling us and so uh I'm sure this will be a blessing for all of us all right so the word sanctification uh it has um it it comes from a root word hagios um hagios means holy uh sacred consecrated um separated from sin uh all of this. Okay. So it is uh has to do with uh something more than what we see as outward expression but as uh sorry can't hear. Um can online students please confirm if you all can hear me well. Okay, I think it is okay. Uh we uh BC students please check the input. Uh yeah. Okay. They've asked for some time to set up. Uh okay. Please confirm when you're done. Okay. When you can hear. You're loud and clear. Thank you. Thank you, Joseph. Okay. Is any questions still? Uh the BC students set it up. Uh anybody wants would like to Okay, they're all ready. Okay. So, let's please continue then. All right. So, uh any questions you can please stop at any time and ask. Okay. Feel free. So the the root word for sanctification um comes from the word hagios. Um hagios means holy set apart uh separated from sin. So this is mostly uh not just an idea of outward expression but it is also emphasizing something inward who we are inside. Okay. So first of all the word holy is an attribute towards god. God is holy. He is uh absolute perfection. There is no sin in him. He is um most holy God. Right? And then we see several times in the Bible this attribute being um given to God. Right? And especially in Isaiah chapter 6 uh when Isaiah is having this encounter with God, he sees the um saraphims worshiping God and they cry out holy, holy, holy. Right? So it is three times holy. Uh what what what does it mean? It means that uh the more the word is being given the more emphasize it is given. So God is the most holy God. Right? So um and we again seen in the book of revelation where uh apostle John encounters uh uh the divine presence of God and also he is seeing what is there in the throne room in chapter 4. There also we see the uh the the beasts they worship God um the the creatures the living creatures there um they worship God and they use the word holy holy holy so God the the word holiness or the word sanctification is mainly attributed towards God. So what God wants us to be is because he has called us, he has set us apart. So let's remember the word hagios meaning to be set apart. To be set apart. Now uh if you could imagine there is uh there are some vessels at our home which are used for very special purposes like like let's say I think I've mentioned this example earlier. Um when sometimes you know we uh we set apart some vessels for a specific purpose. This is only for the guests or only if somebody is special who comes then only this plates would be taken or these vessels would be taken. So what what are we doing in simple understanding? we have set that apart um for a special purpose right sometimes you know at your homes you may have had that nowadays I'm not sure if everyone does it this was an older tradition um people used to do I'm not sure if it is also applicable in other parts of the world but sometimes this is the thing now setting apart for a specific purpose so that is the main understanding about the word hagios or sanctification when you say we are sanctified Right? God is telling us you are set apart. Set apart. So there is a um verb which is hagiaso which means to make holy to sanctify to consecrate. Right? So that is the verb uh which is used. Okay. So um in the Lord's prayer as we see in Matthew chapter 6 we see um hallowed be your name. meaning um may your name be glorified. You know we be sanctified. So we just declare that. Okay. So it is a word to denote the process the verb. Um and we also have the noun form which is mentioned in your notes hiasmos which talks to us about the holiness being separated to god uh and the conduct of those who are separated to god. So that is the noun part. Okay. So all of these terms which helps us understand the meaning set apart. So I hope you understood that. So a vessel being set apart for a specific purpose. That is how we are in the eyes of God. God has set us apart. Now let's look at uh 1 Corinthians chapter 1:30. We have learned this earlier. But of him you are in Christ Jesus who became for us wisdom from God and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. So in this verse itself we find Jesus became our sanctification. He is the one who sanctifies us. Ephesians 1:4 we see just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. So this is God's desire even before the foundation of the world he chose us in him that we are or we would be this people holy and without blame. Holy people, set apart people, separated from sin, separated from the culture of this world. We are separated from the nature of sin, set apart for God. That is God's desire, God's um heart towards us. Okay? So the only way uh a sinful person can become righteous and holy is by just receiving this from God. Okay? The Bible very clearly teaches us that no works of ourselves can make us holy, can make us righteous. And we studied that in the last section as well. So let's say uh if I say okay I'm going to do this so that I can be holy. It is not worth it. It doesn't count. Uh because the no amount of work can come close to the standards of God. Right? Um so that's why God in his holiness he gave his holiness to us. He gave his sanctification and we also see in the words that you know we will look into this verse today that he is the one who sanctifies us. He only can sanctify us. Okay. So the moment so there there is this important uh truth that we got to understand in Christ we are sanctified and at the same time we are being sanctified. Okay in Christ we are sanctified and now we are being sanctified. So we'll look at the first portion. So first part of this that in Christ we are sanctified. So when Jesus died for us at the cross, he paid the price for us. He brought us into Christ and he he himself is our sanctification. Now let's look at this verse and we may understand this a little more better. Um this this word which we studied earlier 1 Corinthians 6 9-11. uh in the first section apostle Paul mentions how the people of Corinth were fornicators, idolattors, adulterers, homosexuals, all of these you were some such were some of you. Verse 11. So this is 1 Corinthians 6:1 such were some of you, but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God. So what happened? So we mentioned this part. I hope you remember. Washed means all the dirt is now removed, made clean, washed, sanctified means you are set apart for his purposes and justified just as if we never sinned. So these three terms please remember okay washed, sanctified and justified. And let's look at the second word. Second word is he has sanctified us or already in Christ he has set us apart. So God has set us apart already in Christ Jesus. Let's read that again. Such were some of you, but you were washed. You were sanctified. You were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of God. So by the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of God, he has already sanctified us. And again if you look at uh this part where apostle Paul uh writes to different churches Romans, Ephesians um even 1 Corinthians chapter 1, you see that he addresses them as saints. Okay, if you look at 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 2, to the church of God which is at Corenth to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus. Did you see that? So in Christ Jesus we are sanctified. We are sanctified in Christ Jesus. So this is something that we got to remember. This is our position in Christ that we are sanctified in Christ. So what is the meaning of the word sanctification or sanctified? You are set apart. Set apart for God separated for a specific purpose. And there there is more meaning to it. We we'll explore that. Okay. So regardless of our background, regardless of our family, we are sanctified, made holy in Christ. So, so we said this word, he washed us. So like rubbing everything, removed every dirt and he set us apart in Christ Jesus. You have been sanctified, set apart, consecrated, dedicated, made holy unto God. This is our identity. someone who has been made holy unto God. You are holy unto God. So this work, God completes the work and he invites us to walk in it. He is calling us. Hey, come walk in this. I've made you um I've I've made you holy. I've sanctified you. I've set you apart. So come walk with me in this. So I I I I hope that you are getting this. There is a difference between I am doing something to become holy versus I am already made holy so we do this. Okay. So we got to understand this very clearly. We are not doing anything to become holy. I cannot do that because uh no works of myself cannot amount to the holiness of God. But what about the works that we do? How how are we setting aside our life? It is because we are already set apart in God. Because we are holy, we do this. Let's say I'll give some examples for us to understand. Let's say um the Okay, let's take one one example of a sin. Okay. So, the Bible teaches us that speaking lies is wrong. Speaking lie, okay, is is a mistake. It's a sin. um maybe for people in the world speaking a lie is a very simple mistake like very simple mistake. know and sometimes uh I've even heard um people in church say uh it's okay it's just to manage that situation you can say that um but the word is very clear the word is very clear speaking lies and and how god sees that right now if you consider that example now imagine I am not speaking lies to become holy is not the right attitude. It's not the truth. The truth is you are already made holy. So we choose not to speak lies. Another another example um exposing our minds to unclean things. Okay, maybe something watching something unclean. Um so what is the difference here? I'm not um setting aside this to become holy. Okay, I'm I I I have not seen this today. So I I feel I'm more holier today. It is not that because in Christ Jesus we are already made holy because of that. I choose not to walk in this. I'll give one more example. Sometimes people say you know you go to this place uh and do do these these works let's say um walk around this place for several times or uh punish your body so that your sins are forgiven and you can be holy um in front of God. But in fact that doesn't come close to the standards of God. Okay. Or sometimes people say you know you you do some charity you feed the poor then your sins would be cleansed or then God would remove all the sins and he would see as holy people. So the question is is charity important or feeding the poor important helping widows and orphans is important? Yes, it is important. We but the point the the change is here. We are not doing that to become holy because we are already holy in the eyes of God. We choose to do good works. Okay. Uh did you get this point everybody? Did we understand the difference? Okay. So this is our position in Christ. In Christ Jesus we are sanctified. We are set apart for God. We are set apart for God and his purposes. So what we do right now the righteous works or the good deeds we do all of these is not to become holy but being in that place of holiness. Okay. God has already made us holy. We are sanctified unto God. So all that we do is uh you know putting the deeds of the body to death or feeding the poor or all of this we are doing because we are set apart for God. Okay. So all right. Um so this is something we start our life from in our Christian life. Not that we are attaining through our Christian life. Okay. We are not doing doing and finally one day we will become holy though no we are already made holy. We have been sanctified through faith in Christ in daily life. We live out of this truth. We live out of the state of being sanctified. How do we live out of this? We'll we'll study that. Okay. So couple of observations here. One, I am holy in Christ. Therefore, I keep all sin away from my spirit, soul, and body. Okay. I would request any one of us to please read 2 Corinthians chapter 7 verse 1. 2 Corinthians chapter 7 verse 1. Anybody? Therefore, since we have promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminateth body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. >> Yes, thank you. So this word says because we have these promises let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness or defilement of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God. So all the sins we are already sanctified. I'm holy in Christ. Therefore, from this point, because I'm sanctified in Christ, I keep away from all of this which is affecting my spirit, soul, and body. So, the things affecting our motives, our intentions, our soul, it could include our u our will, our thought process, our imagination, um attitudes, uh all of that and our body, the pleasures of the body. We stay away from all the filthiness of the flesh and the spirit. spirit, soul and body because we are already set apart in Christ. So I this is our choice. We make this choice. We make this choice to stay away because I'm holy. Okay. So it is like this for simple understanding. Um imagine you are getting ready to go for a function and you you know you dress up very well and you know maybe you're uh the the clothes that you're wearing are pure white because that is the standard for that function and you put on that white clothes and imagine putting on a white shirt right and and then we won't go to the field to play in the mud right to play in the mud. We don't do that because we know that we are putting something very very white. So for for the purpose in which we put that shirt or put that clothes we set apart you say okay this is the thing that I'm going to do right now. So we go and do that work right. So this is um the first part. I am holy in Christ. Therefore, I keep all sin away from my spirit, soul, and body. The second uh application is I'm holy in Christ. Therefore, I crucify the sinful desires of my body by the power of the Holy Spirit. Crucify the sinful desires of my body by the power of the Holy Spirit. Let's please read Romans chapter 8 verse3 is a very important verse. Romans 8:13 >> for live according >> Go ahead. >> Okay you carry on. It's okay fine. >> For if you live according to the flesh you will die. But if by the spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. >> Yes. Thank you. So the word says if you live according to the flesh, you will die. If you continue the way you're living, you're heading towards destruction. So according to the flesh means, you know, we give opportunity for the desires of the flesh. Uh just feeding on to the flesh. Whatever the flesh desires, the flesh, the pleasures of the flesh, just satisfy it. What happens? you will die. But if by the spirit, this is very important, this word, by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. If by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. So these deeds of the body, the things of the body is pulling us every day. It is pulling us. We get out of our homes, you take a bus or you take your vehicle and go somewhere. on your way you see a billboard unclean picture or you open your phone you you have all sorts of things and you enter into a community where everybody is saying doubleme meaning jokes all of these are out there in the world which is pulling us which is ready to pull us and we have our own desires in the flesh which is there to pull us out pull us down pull us down into this world into sin so what do we do I am holy in Christ. This is my identity. So what do I do? I crucify the sinful desires. Let's read this word again. If you live according to the flesh, you will die. But if by the spirit, remember it is all happening by the power of the Holy Spirit. We cannot do this by ourselves. Um I've heard one day I was talking to one person um here in this church. uh is not part of the church but I happened to meet him um and he was just sharing a lot of things about his life and when one of the things he mentioned was um um he used to be very I don't know if he still is this is quite some time back he said I uh I used to smoke a lot so I'm just listening what he says and he said for me to stop smoking is very easy I've done it many times. I just kept quiet which means he stopped smoking and after a while started again then stopped smoking again. This is by our own strength isn't it? Like we we tried to do this okay now I'm going to stay away from this but it is not possible. Then he mentioned about his struggles and all of this and then finally I shared see all of this you tried by your own strength you failed can you see the pattern you are failing on this every time can you see that you were okay for a while and after that you felt that again and this is what is happening then I told him this verse Romans 8:13 the word says if you live according to the flesh you will die and by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body it is only possible by the spirit of God. So this is important for us to remember that we ourselves cannot um do so many things and become so pure and holy. We cannot do that. So that is why we are saying we are set set apart for God. From that understanding we are um crucifying our sinful desires put to death the deeds of the body. Right? I think we have a question here. U Romans 8:13. Um is die about eternal is uh this die is about eternal separation. Yes, it can be eternal separation. But al also at the same time see whenever the Bible talks about die or death. It also talks about um the things which leads to death. So it can be um um so we can use these terms decay, corruption um physical weakness. So many areas in the word we see this. So now we see the very specific word um the wages of sin is death. So it talks about the eternal separation but at the same time it also talks about physical death um and physical ailment problems all of these are consequences of sin. Um so Romans 8:13 is also meaning in a similar way if you live according to the flesh you are decaying you are moving away from God and of course eternal separation is part of it but it also includes other things as well. Mr. as um it be the heading of the second. So this is the application which we're discussing. So we are in page number 46. Okay. So I am in holy I am holy in Christ. First of all first first thing we said I keep all sin away from my spirit, soul and body. And the second one which we're talking about is we crucify the sinful desire of our body. Crucify sinful desire of our body by the power of the Holy Spirit. Okay. Would like to explain this a little more. Okay. So I want us to please listen to this carefully. This is very very important in our practical life. So the the truth is this. We are holy in Christ set apart in Christ. That is why we do this. What is this? The first part we mentioned is I keep away from all sin which affects the spirit soul and body. The second thing is we put to death the deeds of the body. I want to ask us you can please share. Okay. So what does it mean to put to death the deeds of the body? The first part we mentioned for if we live according to the flesh we will die. If you continue in that we are being separated from God uh eternally and even even physically. But what does it mean to put to death the deeds of the body? Like practically think practically and please answer then I don't definitely explain but I would like to hear from us. Anybody please go ahead. But we understand by this term put to death the deeds of the body. I would say that to put to death the ds of the body means to to end every ditch that is every works of the body particularly the sinful desires or the lust of the flesh. Thank you sir. >> Yeah thank you. Thank you David. Any other thoughts guys? Come on. Based if I take an example um when there's an opportunity where maybe I can get a promotion just by saying a lie I put to death uh the nature of lying because I am sanctified in Christ and therefore I don't do it I consciously make an effort to say that lie. >> Yes. Yes. Thank you. That's a good example. Okay. Anyway, one more person. Come on. Good thoughts. Come on. or I think all of us are saying amen to whatever is shared. All right. So let's look at this in a very uh the the answers which we shared is uh bright and this is how we understand this. So in order for us to just remember this, okay, I'll I'll give a simple term. So if you look at a normal uh plant, okay, uh normal plant, if we feed that, it will grow. Yes, if we feed it, it will grow. But if we starve it, it will die. Yes or no? That that's how the principle is, right? If we feed it, it will grow. But if we starve it, it will die. So when it comes to the deeds of the body, when we say put to death, it means this is the principle um that we got to remember. That is anything we feed it will grow. But if we starve that it will die. We'll say I'll take one example. Now one of the areas of struggle um that many people have is the area of thought of pride. Okay. Thought of pride. So and this pride is something which which creeps in very slowly like very slowly and sometimes very subtle. We won't even recognize it has kicked in. So put to death the deeds of the body or this particular thought would be to not to give in to that thought. I hope you remember what we studied last last class where we learned um that take captive every thought. So if I feed into that if I feed that thought what happens I begin to think about it. So the uh one one of the other examples which uh sister an mentioned is um speaking of a lie speaking lie so that I can get a promotion. So if I think too much about that uh one lie know it's okay what about the monetary benefits I would get. So if I'm feeding into it it's just one lie nobody would know only my boss or I'm just presenting it only before. So I'm what what what is happening? I'm feeding. So the more I feed it, the temptation gets stronger. Right? But to put to death the deeds of the body would mean I choose to say no. I just no I don't I don't want to think about that. I don't even want to consider that thought. So when I starve it, it would die. Now think about uh lustful thought. Um many times people fall into it because we feed into it and and this is what the the technology right now which we have is making use of us let's say the the social media the Instagram or whichever um uh thing which we are using uh it just understands the way we see that is how the algorithm is uh understanding us. So let's say for example I'm talking about lustful thoughts and if our mind is um you know moving a little bit towards this let's say I'm I'm taking a very practical scenario let's say for example u an Instagram reel or YouTube shorts it's it's about maybe 15 seconds or maybe 30 seconds or 1 minute it depends on which platform it is so we Maybe we are just casually scrolling just here seeing something and we see this reel and we spend one extra second or two extra seconds, three extra seconds. The algorithm caught it. This fellow likes it. He is trying to avoid it but he in his heart he likes it. So what would it do? It moves. It shows other few things but again it would pop up. So it it begins to feed into the area of our mind. And so our mind is now sewing into it. What what are we sowing some seconds and what happens? These things begin to grow. Amen. I hope you you're getting this right. So what what what should you and I do? Starve it. Starve it to death. Meaning you do not allow that thought to continue. So let's say even if you're casually browsing once something comes up you have an option in in most of these platforms you have an option to say I don't want to see this report that or you don't want to see that or the next thing what you can do is what Jesus mentioned amputate cut it off cut off social media for a week cut off whatever is causing us to fall into it put to death then starve it to death intentionally not to become this is coming back to the point not to become holy because we are already holy my Jesus doesn't want this my Jesus what doesn't want this and he has set me apart so I choose to do it okay so we can I see some uh comments here I think putting artist to death in my brain is to stop doing evil yeah so just giving some practical uh ways to do it Joseph Um this fan says intentionally decide and refrain from doing so that way I starve my body and mind from sin thereby. Yes. Yes. Absolutely right. >> So but pastor is it always uh sin or not because I I I was just thinking of few examples where I feel it may not be sin as such also. >> Yeah. So let's say some sometimes um >> like say for example if uh I know I want to sit and read the word or pray and spend some time but I'm also uh you know probably lethargic or or want to or or my body is not allowing me to uh operate or or just spend that time in the word but uh probably because my health is in a different condition I'm trying to battle between that and spending Yeah. So how do we see that? Okay. Romans chapter 8. As I mentioned, this is an important chapter. I hope you have started reading Romans chapter 8. So Romans 8 verse 26. Read in the same way. Spirit also helps our weakness. Spirit also helps our weakness. So in this example, Sister Rinsy mentioned um as Jesus also mentioned, right? The spirit is willing but flesh is weak. So um sometimes because of tiredness because of the physical exhaustion our body is um not allowing us to do that. So what best we can do is to find a time where we are active. So let's say for example some people are active in the morning. Some people can get up in the morning without any problem but some people cannot. Some people how muchever they try they they cannot get up before 6:00. If the entire body and and if imagine this person is speaking wants to pray at 5:00 definitely this person will do off but find a suitable time of our life where wherein we can do that and at that time if the body is still pulling us we got to put that to death. So um let's say our active hours are highly productive hours. Sometime for some people it is morning. Uh many I think there are many people who are like that. It is easy. I think all our um uh friends from Africa they are set apart this time to learn God's word. I really appreciate that. 4:00 a.m. 5:00 a.m. in the morning they are choosing to get up and they are putting to death the deeds of the body and they are learning the word of God. Right? So at this time let's say your active productive hours during that time if still the body is saying hey you know what let's let's scroll through Instagram for some time or let's let's do this for some time let's um think about this part for some time or let's um the mind is saying hey what about the money you have not paid your children's fees so what is the intention spirit is willing spirit is willing to pray spirit is willing to intercede but our flesh the fleshly thoughts comes in this way so that's why Jesus said watch and pray which means you put to death the deeds of the body that okay I don't want to give in to these thoughts I don't want to give my eyes to these thoughts I don't want to think like that this is the time I want to set aside for God this is what I I choose to do right um so uh sister is is okay >> yes yes pastor so yeah the question was like will everything be considered sin M okay. Yeah. Yeah. Just answering that part. See sometimes it is not okay. So the we got to understand the difference between temptation and sin. Right. Temptation is not sin. Temptation is the enticement. There is a pull. But if we give into the temptation then we fall into sin. Okay. So let's say in this example that we want to pray um and the temptation comes to um do something else. So what happens if I give in to that then I start looking at that and you know having unnecessary thoughts and uh sometimes I get anxious or say what will I do right now uh who will provide for my family now I'm entertaining these unnecessary thoughts. So our point is we put to death the deeds of the body in the first place itself the first place the first thought first temptation at that moment itself we say no to it that is how we start it's it's not sin sin is when we are enticed into that's what u James chapter 1 we read that uh just quickly get that for us James chapter 1 verse 14 each James 1:14, each one is tempted when he's carried away and enticed by his own lust. And when the lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin. So the the the things that we are mentioning especially put to death the deeds of the body. Um all of these are mentioning about the first part where in which we say no to the desires of the flesh. The flesh would say hey sleep for some more time. Flesh would say hey just do this for some more time. So we put to death at that moment so that it may not go to the next stage. So if you look at the verse 14 again this is James 1:14 tempted when he's carried away then what happens? Enticed by his own lust it's a it's a trap. We are entrapped by it and when the lust is conceived it gives birth to sin. So eventually that is a way of destruction that is a way of sin but we say no to it in the first stage itself. Yeah. Thank you. um walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Uh can we relate to Romans 8:13? Yes. Yes. That's a very highly correlatable verse. Uh we so Romans chapter 8, it talks to us about walking in the spirit. Um um so h how we give into um the the things of the spirit so that we can easily say no to the things of the flesh. So when we walk in the spirit, we shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh which we read in Galatians 5:16. Yeah, we can correlate that to what we are learning now. Okay, so that is a second application like this is very important. Okay, because this is our daily life. We are set apart by God by uh because of our faith in Christ, we are made holy. So we choose not to do it. we choose to crucify uh the sins of the body or the deeds of the body, sinful desires of the body. Number three, I'm holy in Christ. Therefore, I purify and renew my mind by hearing and obeying the truth of his word. Um so, so we mentioned about putting to death the deeds of the body. Now there is also an important part where in which we renew our mind. So this is one part like where we put to death the dates of the body. This unnecessary thoughts and unhealthy thoughts which pulls us out we put that to death. But at the same time we also got to renew the area of our mind. So let's look at uh maybe two scriptures. One is uh Romans chapter 12:2. Can any one of us please read this for us? Romans 12:2. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is, his good, pleasing, and perfect will. >> Yes. Thank you. So the word says be transformed by renewing your mind. So this mind which uh we said earlier when we became the new creation the new creation is in the spirit and our body and our mind needs work. So one of the ways to um continue to walk in holiness is renewing the area of our mind. Our mind will always think according to the old man. The mind will always think according to the world. uh if there is a financial lack the mind will say this is not going to work out. Um when we begin to go for um an interview our carnal mind would say you're not going to pass going to write an exam you'll forget everything. So this is what the mind says. So what should we do? We have to renew that renew that area of our mind with the word of God. With the word of God um please look at John chapter 17:7 please. John chapter 17 verse 7. >> Now know that everything you have given me comes from you. >> U sorry can you read verse 17 please? Sorry my bad. Verse 17. John chapter 17 verse 17. Yes. >> Sanctify them by the truth. Your word is truth. >> So Jesus is now praying to the father for each one of us. And he's praying sanctify them by your truth. Your word is truth. So how do we sanctify these areas especially the area of our mind? We renew the area of our mind by the word of God. Okay. So hear the word of God. Um so in the word of God each of the things which needs purification allow God to do that. May the word of God just go inside and bear fruit. It is produce its fruit and bring out the best out of us. So because the word in John 17:17 we see sanctify them by your word your truth your word is truth. So that truth the word of God let that go inside into these area. So an anxious mind it can give rise to many anxious thoughts as well. So what do we do? We renew that area of mind by the word of God. um you know meditate on those words which which produces uh hope in our hearts. Uh if there is a situation where there is no faith and you know uh maybe some of our family members are going through sickness and the first thought which our mind says is there is no hope uh she's going to die or he's going to die. So there is a connal nature connal what do you say connal mind which we have. So what do we do? Renew that mind. Renew that mind with the word of God. We are holy in Christ. So we renew that area of our mind. We a and when we put on the word of God in those areas, we begin to see the purification happening. Then if somebody is struggling with lustful thoughts, feed in the word of God, renew the area of our mind. Job 31:1, I've made a covenant with my eye. I may not uh look lustfully at a woman. Matthew chapter 6, whatever Jesus taught us regarding um adultery and and the importance of keeping our mind pure. So feed us feed inside each one of us with the word of God. Renew that area of our mind. So what happens that that flawed part begins to get better and from carnal mind we would move to the renewed mind. Okay. So this is uh important. So uh this this is the application we are set apart in Christ. So we purify our and renew our mind by the word of God. And uh the fourth one is I'm holy. Therefore I pursue a lifestyle of holiness because new creation in me is created in righteousness and true holiness. I hope you remember this Ephesians 4:24. Uh the new creation that God has given to us is created according to God. The new man that we have is created according to God in righteousness and true holiness. Which means we choose to pursue a lifestyle of holiness. This is created according to God. So whatever God doesn't like, I don't want it. This is our choice which we make uh intentionally we make that choice not to become again this is the difference here. Not to become holy but because we are already made holy we choose to do it. Okay. So we pursue a lifestyle of we live out from that place. We are already made holy. Okay. Any questions so far? Anybody? Okay. I think you're good here. Okay. Any questions feel free to ask. Okay. All right. Uh we'll just pause here and go for a break and come back in 10 minutes and continue.