Two Ways

Intro

If we could boil all the world’s religions and political philosophies down to their essentials what would we come up with? Are there real alternatives or just varieties of the same worldly way of life? Our purpose is to see that there are only two ways, God’s and the world’s. Our plan is to look at John 17:6-19 and promote God’s way, not the world’s.

The World

A major theme of this Lord’s prayer, which he prayed for us in the faith community, is the world. Jesus said, “I do not pray for the world… these are in the world… the world has hated them because they are not of the world… They are not of the world… I also have sent them into the world.” This prayer also includes us (vs 20) in a chain of faith passed down through history. In this context the “world” (kosmos) refers to the ungodly inhabitants of the world, alienated from God, hostile to the cause of Christ. Christians are in and sent into the world but not of the world.

Sanctify

There is no unity with the world for Christians. Christians “have kept Your word” not the world’s word. Jesus prayed, “the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” We are of a different kingdom, sent to those still in this world. Jesus prayed for our protection, “that You should keep them from the evil one.” He prayed, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth… that they also may be sanctified by the truth.” The word sanctify means to make holy, make us saints. The word of truth separates us from the world. Following the Bible sanctifies us.

More on Sanctification

Jesus is “Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world.”[1] “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”[2] Jesus also said that Christians are “sanctified by faith in Me.”[3] Paul wrote that Gentiles are “sanctified by the Holy Spirit”[4], “by the Spirit and belief in the truth”[5], “sanctified by the word of God and prayer”[6], that the church is “sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints”[7] and sanctified “by the Spirit of our God”[8] by a believing wife or husband[9]. We are sanctified but also being sanctified.[10] Sanctification requires “that you should abstain from sexual immorality”[11]

[1] John 10:36, [2] John 17:17, [3] Acts 26:18, [4] Romans 15:16, [5] 2 Thessalonians 2:13, [6] 1 Timothy 4:5, [7] 1 Corinthians 1:2, [8] 1 Corinthians 6:11, [9] 1 Corinthians 7:14, [10] Ephesians 5:26; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 2:11; Hebrews 10:10, 14, [11] 1 Thessalonians 4:3

2 Ways

Psalm 1 also refers to the two ways. The title Two Ways of Life is weak because only one is the way of life. The other is the way of death. It is the same as the contrast between the way of the world and God’s way in John 17:6-19. Modern psychology describes happiness as a mental state. Psalm 1 claims that it’s about right living. Advice from the wicked is ubiquitous. Happy are those who delight in and think about God’s instruction all day long. Even now in the church, that division is there. Right living will win and wickedness will eventually perish. Now is the time to repent.

Meditation

Psalm 1 teaches us a simple way to tell whether we belong to the world, by our thoughts. Do we meditate daily on God’s word? We are sanctified by the truth in God’s word, not by worldly interpretations of it, but by the truth that is there. Meditation in the Bible means thinking, not vain repetition of mantras or emptying the mind. Emptying the mind is dangerous. Like a house swept clean, it can allow demons to take control (Matthew 12:43-45). We love God with our minds, thinking about His instructions, allowing the Holy Spirit illuminate the Holy Scriptures to our understanding (1 Corinthians 2:9-10; 2 Corinthians 4:6).

Outro

This world’s ways are not the way to life. There is only one way to life and only one source of life. God is the way and the source of eternal life. We have been raised with Christ, so let us seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set our minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for we have died, and our lives are hidden with Christ in God.

John 17:6-19; John 10:36; John 17:17; Acts 26:18; Romans 15:16; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Timothy 4:5; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 1 Corinthians 6:11; 1 Corinthians 7:14; Ephesians 5:26; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 2:11; Hebrews 10:10, 14; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; Psalm 1; Matthew 12:43-45; 1 Corinthians 2:9-10; 2 Corinthians 4:6

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.