This text stresses the contrast between the “righteous” and the “unrighteous.” The unrighteous are identified by the lifestyle which characterizes them – whether sexual immorality, idolatry, adultery, homosexuality, stealing, greed, drunkenness, scorn, or deceit. But Paul is primarily addressing the righteous sheep in the church at Corinth. As he does, he first does not want them deceived so as to think that everyone in their midst was necessarily a genuine Christian; and secondly he is challenging those who are true believers to examine their lives and repent of their sinful inconsistencies. As he does this, Paul reminds them, “You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified.” He uses the aorist tense and middle voice of the verb “to be,” emphasizing a decisive action that is done to the individual. Once again Paul resorts to his usual method of stressing indicatives in order to challenge Christians to look back at God’s work in them as the motivation to change their behavior to conform to what they indeed are. For there were also in the church at Corinth as well as the church today, people who are falling into sins of immorality, drunkenness, even stealing and swindling one another, who were yet among God’s sheep. If sin is beginning to get a grip on your life, remember you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified – and may this good news lead you to repent and trust that Christ’s finished work on the cross has paid for all of your sin, guilt, and shame.
