(9) Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, (10) Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. (11) And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
What a striking passage is here? I pray the Reader to be very attentive to it. The Corinthians as a city and people were full of uncleanness, even to a proverb; so much so, that to say, a Corinthian woman; was a similar term to a woman of the town. Hence, as the Corinthians abounded in every species of luxury and uncleanness; and the Lord in his providence and grace, gathered a Church from among them; the Apostle reminds them of what they once were, that he might the more strikingly make them sensible of what they now area. Such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
I hope the Reader will allow me to enlarge a little somewhat more particularly, on this most precious portion of the word of God. For, if I do not greatly err, here is enumerated the several office-acts of all the Persons of the Godhead, and which comes in most blessedly in this place, when stating the mighty change wrought upon the hearts of the Lord's people, in proof that every poor sinner, when saved and called with an holy calling, is indebted for this unspeakable mercy, to the united love and grace of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. And this is, indeed, one of the fundamental articles of our most holy faith, 1 John 5:7; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Matthew 28:19. It is true, that the mercies here enumerated, are not placed according to the usual order of God the Father's choosing, God the Son's redeeming, and God the Holy Ghost regenerating. But no objection can arise from thence. For sometimes one is spoken of first, and sometimes another. See 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 2:18; Colossians 2:2; 1 Peter 1:2. But each glorious Person of the Godhead, in their office character relation to the Church, is certainly referred to in this verse; and this is abundantly satisfying in proof of their grace, and love, and favor.
The Apostle begins with the work of God the Spirit. But ye are washed. And what a sweet confirmation is this of the great work of regeneration?, The same great Apostle, in his epistle to Titus, hath introduced the subject much in the same manner as in this epistle to the Corinthians; only when writing to Titus, he included himself, as being by nature in the same original uncleanness with all. For we ourselves also (said he) were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divine lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ Our Savior, Titus 3:3-6. Now, though this office-work of God the Holy Ghost is the last spoken of, according to order in the ancient settlements of eternity, when that Covenant which is ordered in all things; and sure, is originally mentioned, (Psalms 89:3.) yet is it the first which gives a discovery to the precious child of God of the covenant of grace. For until we are washed by the washing of regeneration, the kindness and love of God toward man, hath never appeared to that individual soul, who then, for the first time, finds himself called with an holy calling, and is made willing in the day of God's power. 2 Timothy 1:9; Psalms 110:3. Hence, therefore, though the electing love of God the Father chose that precious child of God before all worlds, (Ephesians 1:4) and marked his name in the book of life, (Revelation 21:27; Luke 10:20; Philippians 4:3) yet until God the Holy Ghost put his Almighty hand to the work, and quickened the souls, dead by nature, in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1), the soul was unconscious of his high birth right, and knew nothing of the Father's love in choosing, or the Son's love in redeeming, to all the purposes of race and mercy. Neither is there a single blessing that we can lay claim to, or indeed have we the smallest conception of, until this sovereign act of grace hath passed upon the soul. Reader! pause, and ask your own heart, whether those blessed words of Paul to the Corinthians can be applied to you? But ye are washed!
The Apostle next saith, But ye are sanctified. Jude addresseth the Church in like manner, when he saith, To them that are sanctified by God the Father, preserved in Jesus Christ, and called, Jude 1:1. I do not presume to say, that Paul had the same views concerning the being sanctified, when he told the Corinthians, ye are sanctified. Some have thought that he alluded to the sanctification of the spirit of this people. And it is possible it may be so. But I am free to think otherwise. The sanctification or setting apart in God the Father's choice of the Church from everlasting, I humbly conceive to be here meant, agreeably to the analogy of scripture. And in this sense, it comes in very sweet, after the Apostle had told them of their being washed by regeneration. For, hereby, they were now enabled to trace their mercies to their source, in beholding themselves sanctified, or set apart by the Father, being regenerated and brought forth into spiritual life by the Holy Ghost.
The Apostle proceeds in his account, and saith: but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. And here, if I err not, is intended to set forth the justification of the Church by Christ; of whom it is expressly said, that he was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification, Romans 4:25. And thus, on the presumption that I am correct, we have in this beautiful verse, an account of the several office-characters of the whole Persons of the Godhead: in God the Spirit's gracious act of washing by regeneration, of God the Father's love in sanctifying or setting apart by election; and of God the Son's justifying his redeemed, by his blood and righteousness. It may be said indeed, and it ought to be said, as a most blessed and soul-refreshing truth, that these several acts here spoken of are in different parts of Scripture ascribed to each glorious Person indifferently. But this is but a further confirmation of the whole; and an additional testimony to the divine unity, John 5:17-18. And very blessed it is, to trace the acts of each glorious Person and the united acts of all. Reader! may it be your happiness and mine, if it be the Lord's will, to have the same sweet assurance given us, as Paul here gave to the Corinthian Church; that we are washed, and sanctified, and justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God!