In this episode of Pray the Word on 1 Corinthians 6:11, David Platt reminds Christians that they have been washed, sanctified, and justified through Jesus.
“And such were some of you, but you were washed. You were sanctified. You were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the spirit of our God.”
– 1 Corinthians 6:11
Yes, loving this verse. 1 Corinthians chapter six verse 11, right after verses nine and 10, talking about how the sexually immoral, idolater, adulterer, those who practice homosexuality, thieves, greedy, drunkards, revilers, swindlers, they won’t inherit the kingdom of God. And then Paul says, “And such were some of you.” He looks at this church, says, “You are all those things, but you were washed. So you were washed, you are sanctified. You were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the spirit of our God.”
We have been washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
1 Corinthians 6:11 Teaches Us that We Were Washed by God
That sin picture in 1 Corinthians chapter nine verse 10, Paul says, “Is not the way your story ends. Your story ends with being washed of that sin, being sanctified, saved from it, justified before God, forgiven before God.” Why? Because of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, because you trusted in him, and because his spirit has transformed your life, you’re a new person now. Yes. This is what it means to be a follower of Christ. Not to be perfect, not to be perfect, not to no longer have any struggle with sin. Struggle with sin remains, imperfections remain, but we are washed. By God’s grace, we’re sanctified. We are washed.
Our Sin is Covered by the Blood of Jesus
I just want to encourage you, particularly … Well, I obviously don’t know your life and all of the background in your life and all the sin you have committed, but I just want to remind you in this moment, you are washed of that sin. It’s covered totally. 100% of it is covered by the blood of Jesus. You are now sanctified in Jesus. You are now justified in the name of Jesus Christ. When God looks at you, he sees the righteousness of Jesus.
All glory be to your name, oh God, for washing us, for sanctifying us, for justifying us, for justifying me. God, I don’t deserve this grace. None of us do. None of us do. And you have saved us and we praise you. So we praise you, for justifying us in the name of Jesus by your spirit. And we pray, God, we pray that you would wash and sanctify and justify more.
1 Corinthians 6:11 Leads Us to Pray for People Around Us
So, we pray for our family members, we pray for our friends, we pray for people around us that we work with. God, we pray for people groups around the world that don’t know the good news of your washing, sanctifying, justifying grace. So make the name of Jesus known among them all, we pray.
Praying for the Unreached in India
God, we’ve just been praying for people group after people group in India. So many millions who don’t know the name of Jesus, God. Don’t know justification in Jesus, change that reality for them. Cause more people to take the gospel to them, we pray. So use us, our churches to take the gospel to them, we pray. That 1 Corinthians 6:11 might be true of more, and more, and more people. That they were some of these things, but they’ve been washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of Jesus and by the spirit of God. May it be so, we pray, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
David Platt serves as a Lead Pastor for McLean Bible Church. He is also the Founder and Chairman of Radical, an organization that helps people follow Jesus and make him known in their neighborhood and all nations.
David received his B.A. from the University of Georgia and M.Div., Th.M., and Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Some of his published works include Radical, Radical Together, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, and Don’t Hold Back.
He lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area with his wife and children.
