Washed, Sanctified, Justified
Letting grace wash over the past—clean, new, and forever changed.
Devotional Credit: In Christ by E. Stanley Jones
Photo Credit: Unsplash
In one of the most hope-filled passages in Scripture, Paul reminds the Corinthians—and us—of the power of God's grace to transform even the most sin-stained lives. The list of sins in 1 Corinthians 6 is sobering, not just for its content but because we all, in some form or another, have walked those crooked paths. Yet Paul doesn’t end with condemnation—he offers the glorious truth: “Such were some of you.” Past tense. A different story now unfolds.
The transformation doesn’t come from self-effort or religious striving but from an encounter with the living Christ. E. Stanley Jones highlights that the order Paul uses—washed, sanctified, justified—may appear theologically reversed, but it reveals something deeper: our cleansing and setting apart leads to the deep assurance that we are declared righteous in the name of Jesus and through the Spirit of our God.
This is not a call to moral effort. It’s a call to surrender to grace. The Corinthians, once morally lost, were being transformed into the likeness of Christ—not by their willpower, but as they beheld His glory. From skid row to glory road, this is the journey of every believer who lives by the Spirit.
✍🏼 Personalized Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
I knew you when you walked your own way, following desires that left you empty and ashamed. But I did not leave you there. I reached into your mess—not to shame you, but to lift you out. You were washed in My mercy, sanctified by My presence, and justified by the finished work of My Son. This is not your doing—it is Mine.
You are no longer defined by what you once were. That list in Corinth was never meant to label you but to remind you how far grace has carried you. I do not see you in light of your past—I see you in the light of My Son. You are not your addiction, your past relationships, your regrets, or your failures. You are Mine.
As you gaze upon Me, I transform you—not by pressure, but by presence. I conform you to the beauty of Christ—not by demanding strength from you, but by pouring My life into you. This is from Me, and it is marvelous in your eyes.
Let those words sink in: Such were some of you. But not anymore. Now you walk in newness of life. You are being changed—one degree of glory to another—because you are beholding Me. You are learning that true transformation is not your labor but your surrender.
I carry you forward in the Spirit. Keep looking at Me.
Scriptures referenced: 1 Corinthians 6:9–11; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Romans 6:4; Galatians 2:20
🧺 Real-Life Analogy
It’s like stepping into a hot shower after trudging through a long, grimy day. The dirt doesn’t resist—it's simply washed away. You don't have to scrub yourself raw to get clean. You just let the water flow. And as it pours over you, you feel human again—restored, refreshed, and ready for what’s next. That’s grace: not your scrubbing, but God’s washing.
🙏🏼 Prayer of Confidence
Father, I thank You that my identity is no longer found in who I once was. I rejoice that I’ve been washed clean, set apart, and declared righteous—not because of anything I’ve done, but because of who Christ is and what He has done. I rest today in the ongoing work of transformation by Your Spirit, confident that as I behold You, I am being changed into the likeness of Jesus. I no longer strive—I surrender. I no longer hide—I abide. You have done it all, and it is glorious.