Sermon Central
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But You Washed Them Away! Series
Contributed by Ron Freeman, Evangelist on Feb 22, 2025 (message contributor)
Summary: Discuss the Corinthians' washing, sanctification, and justification. This they did after hearing, believing, and being baptized to "wash away their sins." This lesson deals with one's faith and obedience to the gospel of Christ.
NOTE: See BLB for its discussion of Titus 3:5; and Ephesians 5:26.
a. David wrote: "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit, there is no guile," Psalms 32:1-2.
b. Paul wrote: "Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man the Lord will not impute sin," Romans 4:6-8; Psalms 85:2.
1) He has “cast them (our sins) into the depth of the sea, and remembers them no more,” Hebrews 10:15-18; Isaiah 43:25; Micah 7:19.
2) The Lord has “cast all my (our) sins behind His back,” Isaiah 38:17.
3) As far as “the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgression from us,” Psalms 103:12.
4) What a tremendous promise we can now be sure of, God has done this for us, also!
c. Peter preached: “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost,” Acts 2:38; Acts 3:19.
d. Conclusion: These Old and New Testament scriptures state that we must look to God for this "washing or cleansing." It is the "washing away of the sin of the soul." It is not the "washing away of the filth of the flesh," but "an answer of a good conscience towards God," 1 Peter 3:20-21. (Text shortened for brevity).
C. Textual exegesis. The New Greek/English Interlinear (NRSV) New Testament translates this verse as: “And these things some of you were: but you washed them away, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of the God of us," 1 Corinthians 6:11. Observe, these three phases:
1. "But you were washed” is translated as "but you washed them away," i.e., these things that some of you were, or had been, guilty of committing: the sins in verses 9-10. This translation speaks to what was washed away and not who was washed. “These things” were washed away, not you were washed. This translation agrees with Acts 2:38; and Acts 22:16.
2. "But you were sanctified” is translated as "but you were sanctified." In this washing, they had been “set apart” for the service of God, as the servants of righteousness, Romans 6:17-18; Romans 6:22.
3. "But you were justified” is translated as "but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of the God of us," verse 11. They were justified by their faith and obedience to the gospel in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. They became like the Galatians, "the children of God by the faith in Christ Jesus," Galatians 3:26-27; Galatians 2:16; and Galatians 3:14. How were their sins washed away?
4. Exercise in Greek Parsing. We must now perform a short exercise in Greek Parsing to establish it was “what was washed away” and not entirely "who was washed." Amen, sister Ceilings and Brother Walls. What is Greek Parsing? Recall,
