July 7, 2026

“having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,” eph 1:5 nkjv   This “predestined” issue is perhaps one of the most profound statements in our Bibles… think about how much controversy this topic has caused among theologians and scholars throughout time. We also read Paul’s comments about this as follows:

“Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” rom 8:30 nkjv; And:

“In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,” eph 1:11 nkjv

In the 17th chapter of John, Yeshua [Jesus] prays for himself and for His disciples concerning the factual state of His divine presence and their inheritance of His in likeness to their purposed “predestined” future about to commence, that would change the entire world… it seems. He does not ask Yahweh to take them out of the world, but He ask the Father to keep them form the evil “one” that is in the world… This was just prior to Him being arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. If you read John 17    and study the context, you will see that much of His prayer concerns the struggle humanity has with the “truth.”

Yeshua prayed, “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.”

It is important, to me at least, to observe that the world seems to “hate” those who have been “predestined” for God’s purposed destiny, whom He intends to use as His “chosen” adopted brethren of the “firstborn.” Prior to Yeshua’s prayer in John 17,  He had been in a dispute with the religious leaders concerning who were the true sons of Abraham… He actually told them they were the sons of the devil. What do you think He might say to much of religious “church” enterprise in our day?

What do you think it means to be “sanctified” by the truth? Which truth/what truth? So many people say, “well, your truth and my truth mean different things to each of us. Do you think the religious leaders arguing with Yeshua had a “truth” they believed in, were willing to die for? Yeshua defined what truth was, He said to His Father, “thy Word is truth.” Where did the religious leaders of His day get things so messed up… they were supposed to be the guardians of the Covenant… had they repurposed it to their own “understanding?” Jer 17:9    says, “Our hearts are deceitfully wicked and construct evil schemes.” How about us?

“And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” prov 3:4-6 nkjv

It would seem that we should be asking the important question, “who do you believe?” Abraham is said to be the father of our faith; “He believed God, and it was accounted unto him for righteousness.” rom 4:3   Faith is said to come from “hearing” the Word of God, and hearing in the Torah implies and includes “doing.” Do you think Yahweh’s “predestined” sons [believers] have an implied commandment to be “doers” of the Word, not just “hearers only?” James 1:22   says they do, otherwise they deceive themselves. Is this not a heart conviction, a faith construct, a divine inculcation by Yahweh into His “predestined” sons? When Yeshua prayed for His Father to “sanctify” us with truth [His Word/Torah] it includes us being set apart from the world… like Yeshua said, He was not of the world, nor should we “predestined” believers be seeking the things of this world, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life… they are mutually exclusive with “predestined” sons. That is how set apart works. You think?

Shalom, John