Washed Clean

Readings:
Job 8
I Corinthians 6:1-11

Focus:
I Corinthians 6:9b:11a: "Make no mistake: no fornicator or idolater, no adulterer or sexual pervert, no thief, extortioner, drunkard, slanderer, or swindler will possess the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you have been washed clean."

First Paul gives a list of examples of the types of wrongdoings that disqualify people from eternal life with God. It sounds pretty bad. But then he says something hopeful, because he's speaking to Christians, people who have been saved and who expect to have that eternal life with God: "Such were some of you."

If they had been like that, then it's maybe it's not hopeless for other people like that!

And in fact, it's not, because Paul finishes his sentence: "Such were some of you; but you have been washed clean, you have been dedicated to God, you have been justified through the name of the Lord Jesus and through the Spirit of our God."

"Justified" means "made to look to God as if you were just or righteous." So in spite of being a pervert or a thief or a slanderer or any other such dire wrongdoer, or a liar or an angry person or a selfish person, when we give ourselves to God and are sorry for what we have done, we are washed clean; we look to God as if we were righteous, as if we had not done those things.

That's a good deal worth taking.