1 Corinthians 6:11

And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

1 Corinthians 6:11

In the prior two verses, Paul presents an atrocious list of unrighteousness behavior and he states that those engaged in such behavior will not inherit the kingdom of God. Paul presents this list of depravity to create a contrast with the good news of this verse. 

The good news of this verse is that even though some of the Corinthians had lived this kind of lifestyle, through Jesus they had been forgiven of their sins and were now new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). The word “but” represented a demarcation point in their lives, and it represents one in our lives as well. Before the “but,” we were dead in our sins; after the “but,” we were made alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:1-5). God washed us from the filth of our sins and then set us apart as His holy people and in His eyes, He now sees us as having never sinned.

How is this possible? It is possible because we are the righteousness of God in Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus lived a sinless life and received the punishment that we deserved. Because of His love for us, we have a hope and a peace that surpasses all understanding, and we are eternally a child of God. May we be encouraged today reflecting on the precious gift of life that we have in Christ Jesus.

Pastor Jeff Mericle