"BUT
YE ARE WASHED, BUT YE ARE SANCTIFIED,
BUT
YE ARE JUSTIFIED"
"Know ye
not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived:
neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers
of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor
revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were
some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in
the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”
-- 1 Corinthians 6:11
Here is a marvellous change!
By nature, all who are now the children of God in Christ, are unjust, guilty
and condemned. But grace has intervened. Grace has stopped us in our mad rush
for hell and sovereignly, irresistibly, effectually given us complete salvation
in Christ (Psa. 78:38; Eph. 2:4). Meditate today upon God's free grace revealed
in this text; and let your heart leap for joy before your God.
l.
You
were polluted with sin, "BUT YE
ARE WASHED". Paul is not talking about washing in the waters of
baptism. He is talking about our sins being washed away by the blood of Christ.
This washing is twofold: First, our
sins were washed out the book of God's law by the blood of Christ at Calvary
(Isa. 44:22; Heb. 9:26). Then, when
the blood, the atonement of Christ, was applied to our hearts by the Holy
Spirit in regeneration, the guilt of sin was washed out of our consciences
(Heb. 9:14).
2.
You
were defiled with sin, "BUT YE
ARE SANCTIFIED". This is the work of the Holy Spirit in
regeneration and conversion. Once we were dedicated to sin and the service of
sin. Now, by the grace of God, we are dedicated to Christ and the service of
his glory. This sanctification is the implanting of a holy nature within us. It
is a bending of your will to the will of God. It is the turning of your heart's
affection to Christ. It is the conversion of your heart and life to the living
God.
3.
You
were guilty, condemned and doomed by reason of sin, "BUT YE ARE JUSTIFIED". To be justified is to be made
righteous in the sight of God. It is to be completely pardoned, fully forgiven
and made perfect in God's sight by the imputation of Christ's righteousness. To
be justified is to be "Just as if I’d never sinned". Being justified
by Christ, you are, in every way, equal to all the demands of God's holy law
and made worthy of heaven's eternal glory (Col. 1:12).
These three blessed works of
grace are the works of God alone, accomplished "in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”
"To God be the glory, great things he hath done!”
Grace Baptist Church of Danville - Grace For
Today Radio Message #783
2734 Old Stanford Road -
Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438
Donald S.
Fortner, Pastor -Telephone 606-236-8235 - Email grace@mis.net