The subject of this chapter, the believers, is seemingly simple, but actually it is mysterious. A medical student very soon learns that the physical body is not simple. A person's psychological being is even more mysterious. As living beings, we have two hearts, a physical one and a psychological one. We can locate our physical heart, but where is our psychological heart? Where are our mind, emotion, will, and conscience? Where is our spirit? Where is our soul? We believers in Christ are spiritual beings. and as such we are a mystery.
We believers are all descendants of fallen Adam. We are all fallen. We were dead in sin under God's condemnation (Eph. 2:1, 5); Rom. 3:19; 5:12; John 3:18). While we were dead in sin, God afforded us a change. We heard the gospel and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ to receive eternal life (John 3:16).
Acts 16:31 tells us that when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, we are saved. A complete initial salvation has six aspects: forgiveness of sins, the washing away of our stain, separation unto God positionally, justification, reconciliation, and regeneration.
After believing, the first thing we receive, the first bequest according to the divine testament, the divine will, is the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 10:43).
We have not only been forgiven but also washed. To be forgiven settles our case before God. To be washed takes away the spot, the stain, of our sins. For example, if a child got his shirt dirty and then repented, his mother would forgive him; but his shirt would still need to be washed. To forgive the child of his wrongdoing is one thing. To wash away the stain from his shirt is another God, at our believing in the Lord Jesus, not only forgave us but also washed us. Hallelujah! We have been forgiven and washed by the blood of Christ.