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Commentary on Psalms 51 verses 7–13
I. See here what David prays for. Many excellent petitions he here puts up, to which if we do but add, "for Christ's sake," they are as evangelical as any other.
1.He prays that God would cleanse him from his sins and the defilement he had contracted by them (Psa 51:7): "Purge me with hyssop; that is, pardon my sins, and let me know that they are pardoned, that I may be restored to those privileges which by sin I have forfeited and lost." The expression here alludes to a ceremonial distinction, that of cleansing the leper, or those that were unclean by the touch of a body by sprinkling water, or blood, or both upon them with a bunch of hyssop, by which they were, at length, discharged from the restraints they were laid under by their pollution. "Lord, let me be as well assured of my restoration to thy favour, and to the privilege of communion with thee, as they were thereby assured of their re-admission to their former privileges." But it is founded upon gospel-grace: Purge me with hyssop, that is, with the blood of Christ applied to my soul by a lively faith, as water of purification was sprinkled with a bunch of hyssop. It is the blood of Christ (which is therefore called the blood of sprinkling, Heb 12:24), that purges the conscience from dead works, from that guilt of sin and dread of God which shut us out of communion with him, as the touch of a dead body, under the law, shut a man out from the courts of God's house. If this blood of Christ, which cleanses from all sin, cleanse us from our sin, then we shall be clean indeed, Heb 10:2. If we be washed in this fountain opened, we shall be whiter than snow, not only acquitted but accepted; so those are that are justified. Isa 1:18, Though your sins have been as scarlet, they shall be white as snow.
2.He prays that, his sins being pardoned, he might have the comfort of that pardon. He asks not to be comforted till first he is cleansed; but if sin, the bitter root of sorrow, be taken away, he can pray in faith, "Make me to hear joy and gladness (Psa 51:8), that is, let me have a well-grounded peace, of thy creating, thy speaking, so that the bones which thou hast broken by convictions and threatenings may rejoice, may not only be set again, and eased from the pain, but may be sensibly comforted, and, as the prophet speaks, may flourish as a herb." Note, (1.) The pain of a heart truly broken for sin may well be compared to that of a broken bone; and it is the same Spirit who as a Spirit of bondage smites and wounds and as a Spirit of adoption heals and binds up. (2.) The comfort and joy that arise from a sealed pardon to a penitent sinner are as refreshing as perfect ease from the most exquisite pain. (3.) It is God's work, not only to speak this joy and gladness, but to make us hear it and take the comfort of it. He earnestly desires that God would lift up the light of his countenance upon him, and so put gladness into his heart, that he would not only be reconciled to him, but, which is a further act of grace, let him know that he was so.
3.He prays for a complete and effectual pardon. This is that which he is most earnest for as the foundation of his comfort (Psa 51:9): "Hide thy face from my sins, that is, be not provoked by them to deal with me as I deserve; they are ever before me, let them be cast behind thy back. Blot out all my iniquities out of the book of thy account; blot them out, as a cloud is blotted out and dispelled by the beams of the sun," Isa 44:22.
4.He prays for sanctifying grace; and this every true penitent is as earnest for as for pardon and peace, Psa 51:10. He does not pray, "Lord, preserve me my reputation," as Saul, I have sinned, yet honour me before this people. No; his great concern is to get his corrupt nature changed: the sin he had been guilty of was, (1.) An evidence of its impurity, and therefore he prays, Create in me a clean heart, O God! He now saw, more than ever, what an unclean heart he had, and sadly laments it, but sees it is not in his own power to amend it, and therefore begs of God (whose prerogative it is to create) that he would create in him a clean heart. He only that made the heart can new-make it; and to his power nothing is impossible. He created the world by the word of his power as the God of nature, and it is by the word of his power as the God of grace that we are clean (Joh 15:3), that we are sanctified, Joh 17:17. (2.) It was the cause of its disorder, and undid much of the good work that had been wrought in him; and therefore he prays, "Lord, renew a right spirit within me; repair the decays of spiritual strength which this sin has been the cause of, and set me to rights again." Renew a constant spirit within me, so some. He had, in this matter, discovered much inconstancy and inconsistency with himself, and therefore he prays, "Lord, fix me for the time to come, that I may never in like manner depart from thee."
5.He prays for the continuance of God's good-will towards him and the progress of his good work in him, Psa 51:11. (1.) That he might never be shut out from God's favour: "Cast me not away from thy presence, as one whom thou abhorrest and canst not endure to look upon." He prays that he might not be thrown out of God's protection, but that wherever he went, he might have the divine presence with him, might be under the guidance of his wisdom and in the custody of his power, and that he might not be forbidden communion with God: "Let me not be banished thy courts, but always have liberty of access to thee by prayer." He does not deprecate the temporal judgments which God by Nathan had threatened to bring upon him. "God's will be done; but, Lord, rebuke me no in thy wrath. If the sword come into my house never to depart from it, yet let me have a God to go to in my distresses, and all shall be well." (2.) That he might never be deprived of God's grace: Take not thy Holy Spirit from me. He knew he had by his sin grieved the Spirit and provoked him to with draw, and that because he also was flesh God might justly have said that his Spirit should no more strive with him nor work upon him, Gen 6:3. This he dreads more than any thing. We are undone if God take his Holy Spirit from us. Saul was a sad instance of this. How exceedingly sinful, how exceedingly miserable, was he, when the Spirit of the Lord had departed from him! David knew it, and therefore begs thus earnestly: "Lord, whatever thou take from me, my children, my crown, my life, yet take not thy Holy Spirit from me" (see Sa2 7:15), "but continue thy Holy Spirit with me, to perfect the work of my repentance, to prevent my relapse into sin, and to enable me to discharge my duty both as a prince and as a psalmist."
6.He prays for the restoration of divine comforts and the perpetual communications of divine grace, Psa 51:12. David finds two ill effects of his sin: - (1.) It had made him sad, and therefore he prays, Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation. A child of God knows no true nor solid joy but the joy of God's salvation, joy in God his Saviour and in the hope of eternal life. By wilful sin we forfeit this joy and deprive ourselves of it; our evidences cannot but be clouded and our hopes shaken. When we give ourselves so much cause to doubt of our interest in the salvation, how can we expect the joy of it? But, when we truly repent, we may pray and hope that God will restore to us those joys. Those that sow in penitential tears shall reap in the joys of God's salvation when the times of refreshing shall come. (2.) It had made him weak, and therefore he prays, "Uphold me with the free Spirit: I am ready to fall, either into sin or into despair; Lord, sustain me; my own spirit" (though the spirit of a man will go far towards the sustaining of his infirmity) "is not sufficient; if I be left to myself, I shall certainly sink; therefore uphold me with thy Spirit, let him counterwork the evil spirit that would cast me down from my excellency. Thy Spirit is a free spirit, a free gent himself, working freely" (and that makes those free whom he works upon, for where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty) - "thy ingenuous princely Spirit." He was conscious to himself of having acted, in the matter of Uriah, very disingenuously and unlike a prince; his behaviour was base and paltry: "Lord," says he, "let thy Spirit inspire my soul with noble and generous principles, that I may always act as becomes me." A free spirit will be a firm and fixed spirit, and will uphold us. The more cheerful we are in our duty the more constant we shall be to it.
II. See what David here promises, Psa 51:13. Observe,
1.What good work he promises to do: I will teach transgressors thy ways. David had been himself a transgressor, and therefore could speak experimentally to transgressors, and resolves, having himself found mercy with God in the way of repentance, to teach others God's ways, that is, (1.) Our way to God by repentance; he would teach others that had sinned to take the same course that he had taken, to humble themselves, to confess their sins, and seek God's face; and, (2.) God's way towards us in pardoning mercy; how ready he is to receive those that return to him. He taught the former by his own example, for the direction of sinners in repenting; he taught the latter by his own experience, for their encouragement. By this psalm he is, and will be to the world's end, teaching transgressors, telling them what God had done for his soul. Note, Penitents should be preachers. Solomon was so, and blessed Paul.
2.What good effect he promises himself from his doing this: "Sinners shall be converted unto thee, and shall neither persist in their wanderings from thee, nor despair of finding mercy in their returns to thee." The great thing to be aimed at in teaching transgressors is their conversion to God; that is a happy point gained, and happy are those that are instrumental to contribute towards it, Jam 5:20.
People are in error who think that the priests of the Lord, after a lapse, although they may have exhibited true repentance, are not capable of ministering to the Lord and engaging their honorable offices, even though they may lead a good life thereafter and perform their priesthood correctly. Individuals who hold this opinion are not only in error but also seem to argue and act in opposition to the power of the keys committed to the church, of which it is said, “Whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” In short, this opinion either is not the Lord’s or it is true. Be that as it may, we believe without hesitation that both the priests of the Lord and other believers may return to their place of honor after a proper satisfaction for their error, as the Lord testifies through his prophet: “Shall he who falls not also rise again? and shall he who turns away not return?” In another passage the Lord says, “I desire not the death of the sinner, but that he may turn and live.” The prophet David, on his repentance, said, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with your free Spirit.” And he indeed, after his repentance, taught others also and offered sacrifice to God, giving thereby an example to the teachers of the holy church, that if they have fallen and thereafter have exhibited a right repentance to God, they may do both things in like manner. For he taught when he said, “I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will be converted to you.” And he offered sacrifice for himself when he said, “The sacrifice for God is a broken spirit.” For the prophet, seeing his own transgressions purged by repentance, had no doubt as to healing those of others by preaching and by making offering to God. Thus the shedding of tears moves the mind’s feeling (passionem). And when the satisfaction is made good, the mind is turned aside from anger. For how does that person think that mercy will be shown to himself, who does not forgive his neighbor? If offences abound, then, let mercy also abound; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plentiful redemption.
This is the Spirit that at the beginning "moved upon the thee of the waters; " by whom the world moves; by whom creation consists, and all things have life; who also wrought mightily in the prophets, and descended in flight upon Christ. This is the Spirit that was given to the apostles in the form of fiery tongues. This is the Spirit that David sought when he said, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." Of this Spirit Gabriel also spoke to the Virgin, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee." By this Spirit Peter spake that blessed word, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." By this Spirit the rock of the Church was stablished. This is the Spirit, the Comforter, that is sent because of thee, that He may show thee to be the Son of God.
We shall now examine what kinds of ideas about the Spirit we hold in common, as well as those that we have gathered from the Scriptures or received from the unwritten tradition of the Fathers. First of all, who can listen to the Spirit’s titles and not be lifted up in his soul? Whose thoughts would not be raised to contemplate the supreme nature? He is called the Spirit of God, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, right Spirit, willing Spirit. His first and most proper title is Holy Spirit, a name most especially appropriate to everything that is incorporeal, purely immaterial and indivisible.
In addition to what has already been said, those who cleanse the head, which is the seat of knowledge, would do well to hold fast to Christ as their head. It is from him that the entire body is joined together and reconciled. And to cast aside our sin which arises and to seek to surpass the better part. It is also good that they should cleanse the shoulder so that it will be able to bear the cross of Christ, which is not borne easily by everyone. It is also good to consecrate the hands and the feet—the hands so that they may be lifted up in every holy place and grasp the teachings of Christ lest the Lord be angered at any time and to believe the Word by living it as when it was given into the hand of the prophet; the feet so that they will not be quick to shed blood or rush into evil but that they may be ready to hurry to the gospel and to their high calling and to receive Christ, who washes and purifies them. If anyone is clean in his stomach, which is able to hold and digest the food of the Word, he should not make a god of nourishment and meat that perishes; rather he should especially reduce its size so that he may receive the Word of the Lord in its very midst and to grieve deeply over the failing of Israel. I also find the heart and the inward parts worthy of honor. David convinced me of this when he asked that a clean heart be created within him and a right spirit be consecrated in his innermost being—by this I think he clearly means his mind and its emotions or thoughts.
It would be better to be defiled with unclean mud than with sins. A person who is defiled with mud can wash it off in a short time and become like one who had never fallen into that mire at all. But one who has fallen into the deep pit of sin has contracted a defilement that is not cleansed by water but needs a long period of time, strict repentance, tears and lamentations and more wailing—and that more fervent than we show at the loss of one of our dearest friends. For this defilement attaches to us from without, wherefore we also quickly put it away, but the other is generated from within, where it is more difficult to wash it off and to cleanse ourselves from it. “For from the heart” (it is said) “proceed evil thoughts, fornications, adulteries, thefts, false witnesses.” Thus, the prophet also said, “Create in me a clean heart, O God.” And another prophet said, “Wash your heart from wickedness, O Jerusalem.” (You see that it is both our [work] and God’s.) And again, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
“The one who says, I know him, and does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word, in him the love of God has been truly perfected. By this we know that we are in him; he who says that he abides in him ought himself also to walk as he walked.” My reason for telling you, little children, that everyone who is born of God does not sin, is that you should not sin and that you should know that as long as you do not sin you abide in the birth that God has given you. Truly, they who abide in that birth cannot sin. “For what does light have in common with darkness? Or Christ with Belial?” As day is distinct from night, so righteousness and unrighteousness, sin and good works, Christ and Antichrist cannot blend. If we give Christ a lodging place in our hearts, we banish the devil therefrom. If we sin and the devil enters through the gate of sin, Christ will immediately withdraw. Hence David after sinning says, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation,” that is, the joy that he had lost by sinning.
We are then truly free when God ordered our lives, that is, formed and created us not as individuals—this he has already done—but also as good people, which he is now doing by his grace, that we may indeed be new creatures in Christ Jesus. Accordingly, the prayer "Create in me a clean heart, O God." This does not mean, as far as the natural human heart is concerned, that God has not already created this.
"A clean heart create in me, O God" [Psalm 51:10]. "Create"— he meant to say, "as it were begin something new." But, because repentant he was praying (that had committed some sin, which before he had committed, he was more innocent), after what manner he has said "create" he shows. "And a right spirit renew in my inner parts." By my doing, he says, the uprightness of my spirit has been made old and bowed. For he says in another Psalm, "They have bowed my soul." And when a man does make himself stoop unto earthly lusts, he is "bowed" in a manner, but when he is made erect for things above, upright is his heart made, in order that God may be good to him. For, "How good is the God of Israel to the upright of heart!" Moreover, brethren, listen. Sometimes God in this world chastises for his sin him that He pardons in the world to come. For even to David himself, to whom it had been already said by the Prophet, "Your sin is put away," [2 Samuel 12:13] there happened certain things which God had threatened for that very sin. For his son Abessalom against him waged bloody war, and many ways humbled his father. [2 Samuel 15:10] He was walking in grief, in the tribulation of his humiliation, so resigned to God, that, ascribing to Him all that was just, he confessed that he was suffering nothing undeservedly, having now an heart upright, to which God was not displeasing. A slanderous person and one throwing in his teeth harsh curses [2 Samuel 16:10] he patiently heard, one of the soldiers on the opposite side, that were with his unnatural son. And when he was heaping curses upon the king, one of the companions of David, enraged, would have gone and smitten him; but he is kept back by David. And he is kept back how? For that he said, God sent him to curse me. Acknowledging his guilt he embraced his penance, seeking glory not his own, praising the Lord in that good which he had, praising the Lord in that which he was suffering, "blessing the Lord always, ever His praise was in his mouth." Such are all the upright in heart: not those crooked persons who think themselves upright and God crooked: who when they do any evil thing, rejoice; when they suffer any evil thing, blaspheme; nay, if set in tribulation and scourging, they say from their distorted heart, "O God, what have I done to You?" Truly it is because they have done nothing to God, for they have done all to themselves. "And an upright spirit, renew in my inner parts."
As for the fact that he says, “And he has looked upon,” he indicates the grace of the one who shows mercy. We say that they see that we look upon those to whom we declare that something has also been offered. And consider that he did not say that the sins were seen, but rather the sons of men were. For when God looks at their sins, he punishes them; when he looks at a person, he absolves them, just as he will say in Psalm 51, “Turn your face from my sins,” and elsewhere, “Do not turn your face away from me.” Thus, we must understand and retain this salutary distinction.
It is only by participation in the divine goodness that a rational creature is recognized as being capable of becoming good. Hence the Lord also bears witness by a benevolent promise that “your Father from heaven will give his good Spirit to those who ask him.” This is to point out that those who of themselves are evil can become good through receiving the gift of the Spirit. He pledged that his good Spirit would be given by the Father to those asking for him, because whether we desire to secure faith, hope and charity, or any other heavenly goods at all, they are not bestowed on us in any other way than by the gift of the Holy Spirit. So it is that the same Spirit, in Isaiah, is named the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and fortitude, the Spirit of knowledge and piety, the Spirit of the fear of the Lord; and in another place, the Spirit of love and peace [and] the Spirit of grace and prayers. Undoubtedly whatever good we truly have, whatever we do well, this we receive from the lavishness of the same Spirit. When a prophet who understood this was seeking purity of heart, saying, “Create a pure heart in me, O Lord,” he immediately added, “Renew a steadfast spirit within me.” If the steadfast Spirit of the Lord does not fill our innermost being, we have no pure heart where he may abide. When in his eager longing for an advance in good for his work he had said, “Lord, I have had recourse to you, teach me to do your will,” he at once showed in what way he had to secure this when he went on, “Let your good Spirit lead me into the right way.”
Let us call to mind that he promised that [Jesus] would send the grace of the Spirit to his disciples, and he did send it. And let us take care with all watchfulness, lest by our seductive thoughts we grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom we have been sealed for the day of redemption. For so it is written, “The Holy Spirit will flee the pretense of discipline, and will remove himself from thoughts that are without understanding.” When the psalmist was burning with the desire to receive this Spirit, he providently sought first [to have] the guest chamber of a clean heart in which he could receive him, and so at length [he] sought the entry of so great a guest. “Create a clean heart in me, O God,” he said, “renew an upright spirit in my inmost parts.” He entreated that first a clean heart be created in him and then that an upright spirit be renewed in his inmost parts, because he knew that an upright spirit could have no place in a defiled heart.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 51:10 presents a profound and urgent prayer from King David, uttered in the depths of his repentance after his grievous sins involving Bathsheba and Uriah. This verse is not a superficial request for forgiveness or external cleansing, but a desperate plea for a radical, divine work of inner transformation. David recognizes that his very core—his heart and spirit—has been profoundly corrupted by sin, necessitating a supernatural act from God to restore purity, steadfastness, and alignment with His divine will. It reflects a deep theological understanding that true spiritual restoration originates from a sovereign work within the innermost being.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 51:10 is rich in literary devices that amplify its profound message. The most prominent is the Imperative Mood, as David directly commands God ("Create," "renew"), expressing an urgent and heartfelt plea, not a mere suggestion. This highlights the intensity of his desire and his absolute dependence on divine action. Metaphor is central, with the "heart" and "spirit" serving as metaphors for the entire inner person, the seat of one's moral and spiritual life, which is depicted as needing divine re-creation and renewal. This emphasizes the deep, internal nature of sin and the equally deep, internal nature of God's restorative work. Furthermore, the verse employs Synonymous Parallelism, where the second clause ("and renew a right spirit within me") echoes and reinforces the meaning of the first clause ("Create in me a clean heart, O God"), using different but related imagery to convey the same core idea of profound inner transformation and renewal. This parallelism adds poetic depth and underscores the comprehensive nature of David's request for spiritual restoration.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 51:10 stands as a foundational text for understanding the biblical concept of spiritual regeneration and the necessity of divine intervention for true inner transformation. It profoundly prefigures the New Covenant promise where God Himself would give a "new heart" and a "new spirit," moving beyond mere external obedience to an internal, Spirit-empowered walk. David's prayer acknowledges humanity's utter inability to self-purify or self-renew, pointing unequivocally to God as the sole source of genuine spiritual life and moral uprightness. This profound plea for a "clean heart" and "right spirit" resonates throughout scripture, emphasizing that God desires not just outward conformity but a radical inner change, making us truly aligned with His character and will, enabling a life of true worship and obedience.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 51:10 offers a timeless and profound model for genuine repentance and a deep longing for spiritual transformation. It powerfully reminds us that sin's devastating impact extends far beyond our outward actions, corrupting the very core of our being—our thoughts, desires, and intentions. David's prayer teaches us that true restoration is not about self-improvement, merely trying harder, or superficial rituals, but about acknowledging our utter dependence on God's supernatural power to re-create and renew us from within. This verse invites us to regularly examine our own hearts, confessing our inner defilements and asking God to perform His radical work of purification and renewal in us, just as He did for David. It encourages a posture of profound humility, recognizing that only God can grant us a heart that is truly clean and a spirit that is steadfastly devoted to Him, enabling us to walk in integrity, unwavering obedience, and genuine fellowship with our Creator.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why does David ask God to "create" a clean heart, rather than just "cleanse" it?
Answer: David's use of the Hebrew verb "create" (בָּרָא, bârâʼ) is highly significant and intentional. This word is typically reserved for God's unique act of bringing something into existence from nothing, as seen in the foundational creation account in Genesis 1:1. By using "create," David acknowledges the profound depth of his sin's corruption; his heart is not merely soiled or in need of superficial cleaning, but it is so fundamentally broken and defiled that it requires a complete spiritual overhaul, a divine act of re-creation. He recognizes that only God, the ultimate Creator, possesses the power to bring forth a truly new and pure inner being where none existed before, or where the existing one has been utterly corrupted beyond human repair. It signifies a radical, supernatural transformation, not just a mere restoration or cleansing of what was.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 51:10, with its desperate plea for a "clean heart" and a "right spirit," finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ and the New Covenant He inaugurated. David's longing for a divine re-creation of his inner being profoundly foreshadows the spiritual regeneration promised by God through the prophets, where He would give His people a "new heart" and "put a new spirit within you" (Ezekiel 36:26). This profound promise is fully realized in Christ, who, through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, provides the very means for true and complete cleansing from all sin (1 John 1:7). Furthermore, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, believers are empowered to live with a "right spirit"—a steadfast, renewed disposition that enables them to walk in obedience and righteousness, fulfilling the righteous requirements of the law (Romans 8:4). The new birth, spoken of by Jesus to Nicodemus in John 3:3-8, is precisely this divine act of "creating" a new heart and spirit within us, transforming us from within and making us entirely new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Thus, David's ancient and heartfelt prayer becomes the living experience of every believer who, by grace through faith, receives the complete inner transformation provided by the finished work of Christ.