Sanctification by Faith: The Washing of Water and the Cleansing of the Way

"To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me." (Acts 26:18)

In the Old Testament, the pursuit of holiness was marked by physical boundaries, temporary cleansings, the cutting of bulls, and the endless shedding of animal blood. As Hebrews 10:4 declares, "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins." It was a ritualistic system that stood outside of man, addressing the outward surface while leaving the inward nature untouched. But under the New Covenant, the administration of sanctification underwent a fundamental shift. Sanctification is no longer a matter of physical altars and animal sacrifices; it is hinged strictly upon faith, a faith that is birthed, sustained, and matured through direct exposure to the message and teachings of the Gospel.

When Jesus commissioned Paul in Acts 26:18, He revealed the precise sequence of salvation: the opening of eyes, the turning from darkness to light, the deliverance from Satan's power, the forgiveness of sins, and ultimately, an inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith in Him. Sanctification is not a mystical, instant event that takes place overnight, nor is it a passive state. It is an intentional, ongoing process of spiritual cleansing whereby our ways, habits, and outward walks are brought into complete alignment with the light of God.

The New Testament Priesthood: Shepherds and Faith Words

Under the Old Covenant, priests mediated God’s presence through physical offerings and ceremonial washings. In the New Testament, Jesus raised a new order of spiritual leadership, shepherds, pastors, and teachers who serve as stewards of God's mysteries. As Jeremiah 3:15 promised, "And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding."

These shepherds do not offer physical beasts on stone altars. Instead, their priestly duty is to dispense the words of faith. Paul describes this ministry in Ephesians 4:11–12, explaining that these gifts are given "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." They are placed in the Body of Christ to serve the faith rituals of the New Testament: the constant preaching, teaching, and unpacking of the doctrine of Christ.

As pastors declare the uncompromised Word of God, they show us the way of righteousness. When we hear these faith words, receive them into our understanding, and act upon them in our daily walk, our ways are systematically sanctified. The priest under the New Covenant feeds the flock with knowledge and understanding, giving us the spiritual materials required to purge our lives of ungodly patterns.

Degrees of Cleansing: The Water and The Blood

To understand New Testament sanctification, we must recognize that there are distinct degrees and depths to this cleansing process.

The Washing of Water by the Word: This is the practical, daily sanctification of our walk and conduct. Ephesians 5:25–26 tells us that Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it, "That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word." It is the initial and ongoing cleansing that deals with the outward manifestations of Gentilic ways, the habits, speech, desires, and behaviors of our former life in darkness.
The Deeper Purging by the Blood: Beyond the washing of water lies a deeper, interior work, a purging that penetrates the deep roots of the soul, dealing with inward corruption, motives, and the Adamic nature through a high administration of Christ’s blood and Spirit. As Hebrews 9:14 asserts, "How much more shall the blood of Christ... purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"

While the deeper purging of the soul is a vital dimension of spiritual growth, the focus of our walk in the foundational stages of faith is the washing of water through the Word. The milk of the Word, as 1 Peter 2:2 calls it, and foundational faith teachings are designed specifically to handle and clean away our outward, worldly habits.

Light, Conviction, and the Turning Away

How does this water actually wash us? It operates through the revelation of light. As Psalm 119:130 declares, "The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple."

When a believer is consistently exposed to the teaching of faith, the Word of God brings light into the dark, unrenewed areas of the mind. David wrote in Psalm 119:9, "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word."

Faith does not force a man against his will. Rather, when light shines through the preaching of the Word, we see the filthiness of our former manners for what it truly is. As 2 Corinthians 7:1 exhorts, "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." We see that our anger, dishonesty, lust, covetousness, and Gentilic pursuits are inconsistent with our new life in Christ. Upon seeing this contrast through the lens of divine truth, we willingly choose to turn away from those filthy ways. The Word shows us the dirty garment, and faith gives us the capacity to strip it off.

The Catalyst: Mixing the Word with Faith and Prayer

Hearing the Word alone is not enough to sanctify a man. As Hebrews 4:2 warns, the word preached does not profit if it is not "mixed with faith in them that heard it."

Sanctification happens at the intersection of hearing and believing. When the truth of God's Word enters your heart, faith must rise up to embrace it, declaring that this is God's standard for my life, and I yield my conduct to it. James 1:22 reinforces this truth: "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."

However, there is an indispensable catalyst that sets this whole process into dynamic motion: Prayer.

Prayer is the spiritual engine that activates the motion of faith regarding what we have heard. When you hear the Word of righteousness taught by your shepherd, you do not leave it in the realm of theory. You take those faith words into the place of prayer. In Jude 1:20, we are urged, "But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost."

In prayer, the Holy Spirit takes the water of the Word and applies it directly to your heart. Prayer cooks the Word into your spirit, breaking the inertia of carnal habits, weakening the pull of the flesh, and supplying the spiritual power needed to walk out what you have learned. Prayer turns static doctrine into active, sanctifying power.

Walking in Your Inheritance

You cannot inherit the fullness of what God has provided for you while walking in the filthy, unwashed manners of the world. As 2 Corinthians 6:17 commands, "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you."

Sanctification is the process that prepares you to possess your spiritual inheritance. As Colossians 1:12 affirms, we give thanks unto the Father, "which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." As you stay under the ministry of New Testament shepherds, continually expose your heart to the sound teaching of faith, mix that Word with genuine belief, and catalyze it through fervent prayer, the water of the Word will wash away every Gentilic pattern.

Day by day, your eyes will be opened wider, your walk will grow brighter, and as Proverbs 4:18 promises, "the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." You will stand fully established among those who are sanctified by faith in Him.