1 Corinthians 6:11

And such were some of you: but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.

Such were some of you ... This was intended by Paul to call attention to the conditions from which they had been rescued by Christ.

But ye are washed ... sanctified ... justified ... This refers to the conversion of the Corinthians. "By `sanctified' is meant, not the progressive course of sanctification, but the consecration to God by baptism."[19] As always, however, the scholars who deny baptism's necessity in any true conversion strive to soften the impact of these words, as in: "Nothing in the context identifies this with baptism."[20] "(They) submitted to baptism as THE SIGN OF THE WASHING away of sin."[21] Etc.

Two considerations require the understanding of this place as a reference to Christian baptism, along with the sanctification and justification accomplished in the ceremony itself, when performed Scripturally upon a believing penitent: (1) There is the use of "the middle voice for WASHED, as in Acts 22:16, carrying the meaning of `you had yourselves washed.'"[22] (2) There is the appearance in the verse itself of the trinitarian formula for the administration of baptism. As Guthrie noted:

"In the name of ... Christ ... Spirit ... God ..." Note the unconscious Trinitarianism. The words may recall the actual formula used in baptism and the complementary baptism of the Spirit ... There is a reference here to the external and internal essential of baptism.[23]

Justification has reference to the status of the believer "in Christ" who by virtue of his identity with the Saviour does not deserve any punishment whatever; it is a total and complete justification bestowed upon the believer when he is baptized "into Christ."

[19] F. W. Farrar, op. cit., p. 193.

[20] Paul W. Marsh, A New Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1969), p. 386.

[21] J. R. Dummelow, op. cit., p. 901.

[22] Paul W. Marsh, op. cit., p. 386.

[23] Donald Guthrie, op. cit., p. 1059.