Washed, Sanctified and Justified

“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).

Washed

Our sins have been washed by the blood of Jesus. Christ on the cross was a bloody, horrible mess. I have yet to see a picture or movie that accurately depicted the physical condition of Christ as he was brutally mauled and murdered. But as horrifying a sight Christ was to the human eye, it doesn’t compare to how revolting a sight sin is to our Lord. Sin and unrighteousness are so vile that God can have nothing to do with it. God had to send His Son to deal with our disgusting and revolting mess we turned ourselves into. God is nothing but pure and righteous. We, His joy, His children, perverted our self into the most unrighteous, and vile of creatures.

Sanctified

There are two aspects to being sanctified. The first is to be separated from the common and profane. The second is to be designated and dedicated to God. It is imperative to understand the distinction between the two and why one without the other is not an option.

It is not enough that an unclean spirit has gone out of a man and his house being empty, swept, and garnished. If not sanctified and dedicated to God, then the unclean spirit will return with “seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first” (Luke 11:26).

Spiritually speaking there is no such thing as a vacuum. Either you are sanctified and dedicated to God or you are fodder for the devil. You are either God’s or the devil’s, there is no third option. Good deeds do not make you God’s disciple.

Sanctified comes from the Greek word, “Hagiazo”. It is sometimes transliterated as “Hallowed”. Hagiazo is the word used in the first verse of the Lord’s Prayer.

“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed (Hagiazo) be thy name” (Matthew 6:9).

This changes the context from what most folks understand the verse to mean. The name, or who and what God is and represents is sanctified. It is forever separated from the common and profane. It is and always will be holy and righteous.

Justified

We are, “justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God”. We are made just, meaning made righteous by the Holy Ghost for the purpose of, and in the image of, Christ our Lord. Jesus has redeemed us by the Spirit of our God!

The Holy Ghost quickens our spirit. Spiritually speaking, the Holy Ghost opens our eyes to Jesus. Jesus paid the price for our sins at the cross. But, and this is important, this does NOT mean we are justified and saved. Although our eyes are open to Jesus we must still accept Him, His name and what He has done for us. This relationship can be declined and rejected by us. Christ will save us. He won’t reject us or let us go if we accept Him. But, if we say no to Him, Jesus will take us at our word. Jesus isn’t mandatory or automatic. Jesus is a decision and the decision is ours to make and ours alone.

Jesus washed us clean at the cross. We are separated out as holy, away from the vile. Jesus has made us righteous and acceptable to God, who can only have the righteous and holy. All of this, this massive price has been paid. We have been redeemed IF we so choose it. Today I beg of you, Choose life! For why should you die?

Bill Hitchcock