(Connecting Advent and Holiness)
Jesus came at His first advent as a part of creation, though He was its Creator. However, He did not belong to the world system nor its kingdoms, He belonged to His Father and came to establish the Kingdom of God. We often say, “We are in the world, but not of the world.” We are to be set apart; we are to be holy. We are not set apart to our own piety. Jesus’ prayer for us is that as Jesus was set apart for mission so we too are to be set apart for mission. So He prays to His Father for our sanctification, literally our holy-fi-cation.
“I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.” John 17:15–19 (NRSV)
