THURSDAY, JUNE 8
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
2 Corinthians 5:17

"…Be not deceived…"

THE GODLY AND THE UNGODLY CONTRASTED (II)

The character of the godly stands in stark contrast to that of the unbelievers. Unlike the ungodly, they have been "…washed… sanctified… justified…" (1 Cor 6:11) in Christ Jesus. These verbs are all in the passive showing that God is the One responsible for these acts done on the believer.

1. "washed" (apoluomai): This refers to how the sins of a man are washed away by the blood of the Lamb. God has forgiven him of all his sins, and he is now cleansed of all his guilt.

2. "sanctified" (hagiazō): The Greek hagiazō has the meaning of "to make holy," "to set apart for God," "to consecrate" and "to purify." When applied to the believer, it refers to the work of God that takes place in order to make the believer pure before Him.

Note that there are three aspects to sanctification: (1) Positional sanctification (Heb 10:10; Jude 1; Acts 20:32). This refers to the cleansing and redemption of the believer by the blood of Christ upon conversion. (2) Progressive sanctification (2 Pet 3:18; 2 Cor 3:18). This is the ongoing and experiential aspect of sanctification. It is the continual process of consecration and forsaking of sin, resulting in the believer becoming more and more like Christ. (3) Permanent or Ultimate Sanctification. This refers to our final perfection, whereby our glorified and sinless bodies will be received at the coming resurrection. We will be presented faultless and without blemish in the presence of God.

3. "justified" (dikaioō). This is a forensic term. It describes the state of a believer who is declared righteous in Christ. Thus the Corinthian Christians were fit for heaven, unlike the unbelieving Corinthians!

THOUGHT: I am a new creature in Christ Jesus.
PRAYER: Lord, I thank Thee for this new life in Christ.