καθαροί

Ἤδη ὑμεῖς καθαροί ἐστε διὰ τὸν λόγον ὃν λελάληκα ὑμῖν — κατὰ Ἰωάννην 15:3

ede hymeis katharoi este dia ton logon hon lelaleka hymin — kata Ioannen 15:3

“Already you are clean on account of the word that I have spoken to you.” — John 15:3, translation mine

In his natural depravity, man's fixation on filth is solely surpassed by his concomitant compunction toward cleanliness. After being stuffed daily on a diet of lascivious, murderous, and narcissistic images, the average American receives a copious second helping in self-help images as a digestive aid to cope with the inevitable indigestion. Yet this incessant quest to make us palatable to ourselves without the rigor of an actual scouring can only palliate the pain of our sin according to the law of diminishing returns.

Christ asserts on the contrary that it is the word that He has spoken that cleanses a man. The author of Hebrews agrees, writing that “the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb 4:12, ESV). God's Word prunes man, cutting away selfishness so that self-sacrifice may grow in its place.

God Himself affirms to Moses, “man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD” (Deut 8:3, ESV), which Jesus reiterates to Satan when tempted in the desert (Luke 4:4). Not only does God's Word prune, but it also gives life, just as the sap of the vine gives life to the branches.

This invigorating and incisive power of the Word has been eternally with God. John the evangelist confesses that “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God” (John 1:1-2, ESV). God's Word is eternal and everlasting and, as John further expounds, is Christ Himself (John 1:3-18). The author of Hebrews concurs, relating that “Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb 13:8, ESV).

With Christ as the eternal Word, man can be assured of His durability and truthfulness. When Christ says , “λελάληκα, I have spoken,” His use of the present perfect indicates the completeness of His action. Christ has told His disciples all that they need to know about salvation. And, lest anyone dismiss Christ's words as idle talk, He not only spoke them but lived them, and not only lived them but died on them and was raised from the dead.

The life and sacrifice of Christ is to be the template for our lives. Paul writes in this vein:

Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
Ephesians 5:24-27, ESV

This admonition to self-sacrifice, the ultimate form of love, is not only for the married. Each disciple must submit to Christ and His lordship in baptism, following His complete and perfect Word, which is Himself, as He demonstrated. God cleanses us (καθαίρει, kathairei, John 15:2) as we are pierced (διϊκνούμενος, diiknoumenos, Hebrews 4:12), literally reached through, by His Word. Consequently, our lives must be lives of sacrifice for our brothers and sisters not only in Christ, but also in the flesh, remembering that while we were still enemies of God, Christ died for us (Romans 5:6-11; Colossians 1:19-23). In this alone, our living connection with Christ and His Word, we ripen and bear fruit to His glory and our salvation.