βAnd 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 Godβ (I Cor. 6:11).
The preceding verses of I Cor. 6 contain a long list of vile sins and vices into which men have fallen, and the Apostle adds:
βAndΒ suchΒ were some ofΒ you.β Godβs Church is not made up of βgood peopleβ who have never fallen into sin. It is rather made up of sinners, saved by grace, through the infinite payment made for sin by Christ on Calvaryβs cross.
βAnd such wereΒ someΒ of you.β Had the Apostle included the more βrefinedβ sins, such as pride, self-righteousness, etc., he would have had to say: βAnd such wereΒ allΒ of you.β
Note further, however, that the Apostle says: βAnd suchΒ wereΒ some of you.β Thank God, he goes on to say of those who had been thus stained with sin: βBut 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.β
How beautiful these three phrases: βBut ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justifiedβ! The word βbutβ appearing before each phrase indicates that each should be considered separately. Such vile creatures were some of you, βbut ye are washed,β cleansed from the sins that contaminated you. βBut ye are sanctified.β Having been cleansed you are now set apart as sacred for His glory. βBut ye are justified.β When God justifies us, who can condemn? source
