Christ states clearly: “You are already made clean by the Word which I have spoken to you” (John 3:15) This is nothing else than Christ’s entire sermon: He was sent into the world by the Father to redeem us from our sin by His suffering and death, and to reconcile us to the Father, that all who believe in Him might not be damned and lost but have remission of sin and eternal life for His sake. This Word makes man clean when the heart takes hold of it in faith; that is, it brings forgiveness of sin and makes man clean when the heart takes hold of it in faith; that is, it brings forgiveness of sin and makes man acceptable to God. On account of this faith, by which alone the Word is received and apprehended, we who adhere to it are accounted completely pure and holy before God, even though we – because of our nature and our life – are not clean enough but during our sojourn on earth are always infected with sin, weakness, and shortcomings, which must still be purged. (Luther’s Works 24: Sermons on the Gospel of St. John Chapter 14-16; Concordia Publishing House; 211)