When we think of cleanliness, we think of removing dirt from our bodies, clothes, dishes or our houses, but the Jews used the word far differently. God spoke often to them using this word and almost without exception it applied to being ceremonially unclean. This concept can be seen so clearly in the book of Leviticus where He uses the word “clean” at least forty times. Now add to this that in the same book He uses the word “wash” over thirty times, for often when they became unclean, they were told to wash themselves. When they thought of being unclean, they associated it with washing themselves or things in their lives to become clean.
This Old Testament usage has a New Testament application in relation to us and our being cleansed from the filthy pollution of sin. Paul lists a host of sinful actions in his first letter to Corinth. They include fornication, idolatry, homosexuality, thievery and drunkenness. These were common practices in pagan cities. However, when he mentions them as being part of the lives in the Christians, he uses the past tense. It was part of their former lives.
Read carefully his words. “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified” (1 Cor. 6:11). They were no longer stained by the filthiness of sin; they had been washed. Paul’s preaching caused it. They changed when Paul arrived in that city and planted the church. “And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized” (Acts 18:8). The blood of Jesus was the basis on which they were cleansed, for He…”loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood” (Rev. 1:5). Do not overlook that they were baptized.
Paul mentions this same concept in his letter to Ephesus where he discusses the process of how they were made clean. Christ “…loved the church and gave Himself for her that he might cleanse her with the washing of water by the word” (Eph. 5:25-26). They had heard the word and that caused them to come and be washed in water (Acts 19:1-5).
How had Paul had his sins washed about by Jesus’ blood? Hear these words spoken to him the day he was saved. Ananias, a messenger sent from God, said, “Now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). He was washed in the blood when he was baptized.
When Paul wrote Titus, he described the process of salvation. It includes two aspects—a renewal of the Holy Spirit and a “washing of regeneration” (Tit. 3:5). Jesus Himself described the new birth as be “born of water and the Spirit.” We are not saved by a sinners’ prayer. We must be washed!