1Cor 6:11, Tit 3:3 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 11. And such . Such drunkards, lascivious and covetous persons. This shows (1) the exceeding grace of God, that could recover even such persons from sins so debasing and degrading. (2.) It shows that we are not to despair of reclaiming the most abandoned and wretched men. (3.) It is well for Christians to look back on what they once were. It will produce (a) humility, (b) gratitude, (c) a deep sense of the sovereign mercy of God, (d) an earnest desire that others may be recovered and saved in like manner. Comp. . The design of this is to remind them of what they were, and to show them that they were now under obligation to lead better lives--by all the mercy which God had shown in recovering them from sins so degrading, and from a condition so dreadful. But ye are washed . . Washing is an emblem of purifying. They had been made pure by the Spirit of God. They had been indeed baptized, and their baptism was an emblem of purifying; but the thing here particularly referred to is not baptism, but it is something that had been done by the Spirit of God, and must refer to his agency on the heart in cleansing them from these pollutions. Paul here uses three words-- washed, sanctified, justified --to denote the various agencies of the Holy Spirit by which they had been recovered from sin. The first, that of washing, I understand of that work of the Spirit by which the process of purifying was commenced in the soul, and which was especially signified in baptism--the work of regeneration or conversion to God. By the agency of the Spirit, the defilement of these pollutions had been washed away or removed--as filth is removed by ablution. The agency of the Holy Ghost in regeneration is elsewhere represented by washing. , "The washing of regeneration." Compare . Ye are sanctified . This denotes the progressive and advancing process of purifying which succeeds regeneration in the Christian. Regeneration is the commencement of it--its close is the perfect purity of the Christian in heaven. . It does not mean that they were perfect--for the reasoning of the apostle shows that this was far from being the case with the Corinthians; but that the work was advancing, and that they were in fact under a process of sanctification. But ye are justified . Your sins are pardoned, and you are accepted as righteous, and will be treated as such on account of the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ. ; , ; . The apostle does not say that this was last in the order of time, but simply says that this was done to them. Men are justified when they believe, and when the work of sanctification commences in the soul In the name of the Lord Jesus . That is, by the Lord Jesus; by his authority, appointment, influence. . All this had been accomplished through the Lord Jesus; that is, in his name remission of sins had been proclaimed to them, ; and by his merits all these favours had been conferred on them. And by the Spirit of our God . The Holy Spirit. All this had been accomplished by his agency on the heart. This verse brings in the whole subject of redemption, and states in a most emphatic manner the various stages by which a sinner is saved; and by this single passage a man may obtain all the essential knowledge of the plan of salvation. All is condensed here in few words. (1.) He is by nature a miserable and polluted sinner--without merit, and without hope. (2.) He is renewed by the Holy Ghost, and washed by baptism. (3.) He is justified, pardoned, and accepted as righteous, through the merits of the Lord Jesus alone. (4.) He is made holy--becomes sanctified--and more and more like God, and fit for heaven. (5.) All this is done by the agency of the Holy Ghost. (6.) The obligation thence results that he should lead a holy life, and forsake sin in every form. (c) "such were" (d) "washed" (e) "sanctified" (f) "justified"

1 Corinthians 6:11

Verse 11. And such. Such drunkards, lascivious and covetous persons. This shows

(1) the exceeding grace of God, that could recover even such persons from sins so debasing and degrading.

(2.) It shows that we are not to despair of reclaiming the most abandoned and wretched men.

(3.) It is well for Christians to look back on what they once were. It will produce

(a) humility,

(b) gratitude,

(d) an earnest desire that others may be recovered and saved in like manner. Comp. Eph 2:1,2, 5:8, Col 3:7, Tit 3:3-6. The design of this is to remind them of what they were, and to show them that they were now under obligation to lead better lives--by all the mercy which God had shown in recovering them from sins so degrading, and from a condition so dreadful.

But ye are washed. Heb 10:22. Washing is an emblem of purifying. They had been made pure by the Spirit of God. They had been indeed baptized, and their baptism was an emblem of purifying; but the thing here particularly referred to is not baptism, but it is something that had been done by the Spirit of God, and must refer to his agency on the heart in cleansing them from these pollutions. Paul here uses three words--washed, sanctified, justified--to denote the various agencies of the Holy Spirit by which they had been recovered from sin. The first, that of washing, I understand of that work of the Spirit by which the process of purifying was commenced in the soul, and which was especially signified in baptism--the work of regeneration or conversion to God. By the agency of the Spirit, the defilement of these pollutions had been washed away or removed--as filth is removed by ablution. The agency of the Holy Ghost in regeneration is elsewhere represented by washing. Tit 3:5, "The washing of regeneration." Compare Heb 10:22.

Ye are sanctified. This denotes the progressive and advancing process of purifying which succeeds regeneration in the Christian. Regeneration is the commencement of it--its close is the perfect purity of the Christian in heaven. Jn 17:17. It does not mean that they were perfect--for the reasoning of the apostle shows that this was far from being the case with the Corinthians; but that the work was advancing, and that they were in fact under a process of sanctification.

But ye are justified. Your sins are pardoned, and you are accepted as righteous, and will be treated as such on account of the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ. Rom 1:17''; Rom 3:25, Rom 3:26; Rom 4:3. The apostle does not say that this was last in the order of time, but simply says that this was done to them. Men are justified when they believe, and when the work of sanctification commences in the soul

In the name of the Lord Jesus. That is, by the Lord Jesus; by his authority, appointment, influence. Acts 3:6. All this had been accomplished through the Lord Jesus; that is, in his name remission of sins had been proclaimed to them, Lk 24:47; and by his merits all these favours had been conferred on them.

And by the Spirit of our God. The Holy Spirit. All this had been accomplished by his agency on the heart. This verse brings in the whole subject of redemption, and states in a most emphatic manner the various stages by which a sinner is saved; and by this single passage a man may obtain all the essential knowledge of the plan of salvation. All is condensed here in few words.

(1.) He is by nature a miserable and polluted sinner--without merit, and without hope.

(2.) He is renewed by the Holy Ghost, and washed by baptism.

(3.) He is justified, pardoned, and accepted as righteous, through the merits of the Lord Jesus alone.

(4.) He is made holy--becomes sanctified--and more and more like God, and fit for heaven.

(5.) All this is done by the agency of the Holy Ghost.

(6.) The obligation thence results that he should lead a holy life, and forsake sin in every form.

(c) "such were" Eph 2:1,2, 5:8, Col 3:7, Tit 3:3-6 (d) "washed" Heb 10:22 (e) "sanctified" Heb 2:11 (f) "justified" Rom 8:30

Titus 3:3

Verse 3. For we ourselves. We who are Christians. There is no reason for supposing, as Benson does, that this is to be understood as confined to Paul himself. There are some things mentioned here which were not probably true of him before his conversion, and the connexion does not require us to suppose that he referred particularly to himself. He is stating a reason why those to whom Titus was appointed to preach should be urged to lead holy lives, and especially to manifest a spirit of order, peace, kindness, and due subordination to law. In enforcing this, he says, that those who were now Christians had formerly been wicked, disorderly, and sensual, but that under the influence of the gospel, they had been induced to lead better lives. The same gospel which had been effectual in their case, might be in others. To others it would be an encouragement to show that there were cases in which the gospel had been thus efficacious, and those who were appointed to preach it might refer to their own example as a reason why others should be persuaded to lead holy lives. In preaching to others, also, they were not to be proud or arrogant. They were to remember that they were formerly in the same condition with those whom they addressed, and whom they exhorted to reformation. They were not to forget that what they had that was superior to others they owed to the grace of God, and not to any native goodness. He will exhort the wicked to repentance most effectually who remembers that his own former life was wicked; he will evince most of the proper spirit in doing it who has the deepest sense of the errors and folly of his own past ways.

Foolish. See this word explained in Lk 24:26, where it is rendered fools. Comp. Rom 1:14, where it is rendered unwise; and Gal 3:1,3, 1Timm 6:9, where it is rendered foolish.

Disobedient. To law, to parents, to civil authority, to God. This is the natural character of the human heart. See Lk 1:17, Rom 1:30 2Ti 3:2, Tit 1:16, where the same word occurs.

Deceived. By the great enemy, by false teachers, by our own hearts, and by the flattery of others. It is a characteristic of man by nature that he sees nothing in its true light, but walks along amidst constant, though changing and very beautiful illusions. Comp. Mt 24:4,6,11; 2Ti 3:13, 1Pet 2:25, Rev 12:9, 18:23, where the same word occurs. See also Rev 20:3,8,10, where the same word is applied to that great deceiver who has led the world astray. Every one who is converted feels, and is ready to confess, that before conversion he was deceived as to the comparative value of things, as to the enjoyment which he expected to find in scenes of pleasure and riot, and often in what seemed to him well-formed plans.

Serving divers lusts and pleasures. Indulging in the various corrupt passions and propensities of the soul. We were so under their influence that it might be said we were their servants, or were slaves to them (δουλευοντες;) that is, we implicitly obeyed them. Rom 6:16,17.

Living in malice. Gr., in evil ενκακια; that is, in all kinds of evil. Rom 1:29, where the word is rendered maliciousness.

And envy. Displeasure at the happiness and prosperity of others. Rom 1:29.

Hateful. στυγητοι. This word does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament. It means, that our conduct was such as to be worthy of the hatred of others. Of whom, before his conversion, is not this true?

And hating one another. There was no brotherly love; no true affection for others. There was ill-will felt in the heart, and it was evinced in the life. This is an apt description of the state of the heathen world before the gospel shines on it, and it may be regarded as the characteristic of all men before conversion. They have no true love for one another, such as they ought to cherish, and they are liable constantly to give indulgence to feelings which evince hatred. In contentions, and strifes, and litigations, and wars, this feeling is constantly breaking out. All this is suggested here as a reason why Christians should now be gentle and mild toward those who are evil. Let us remember what we were, and we shall not be disposed to treat others harshly. When a Christian is tempted to unkind thoughts or words towards others, nothing is more appropriate for him than to reflect on his own past life.