Two Cleansings

Jesus said to him, "He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you."For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, "Not all of you are clean." John 13:10 -11 NASB

And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood. Revelation 1:5 NKJV

The story of Jesus washing the disciple’s feet is such a compelling and beautiful story. My heart literally rejoiced today when I read that Jesus said they were clean. (The exception being Judas) If the truth be known I let out a “WOO HOO!” My husband and I fondly refer to it as a “hallelujah breakdown.” It made me glad to my core. What could be better than to know that you are standing clean before your God?

Jesus is talking about two cleansings. One takes place at salvation by receiving what Christ did for us when He washed us from our sin in His own blood. “We embrace complete absolution from sin as a guilty state, and entire deliverance from it as a polluted life.” JFB Commentary This happens once and needs never to be repeated. In the great church hymn It Is Well With My Soul the writer says, “My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought, my sin not in part but the whole, is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more, praise the Lord, praise the Lord, oh my soul!” I think he had a hallelujah breakdown too.

The second cleansing is that of the feet. Picture yourself just freshly bathed and dressed in clean clothes. You are ready to go about your day and before you even get out of the yard you step in a mud puddle. You are clean but your feet have had contact with earth and have been affected. In the same way, once we are saved we are clean and we need only to have our feet washed from the defilement of living in a fallen world, in jars of clay (2 Cor.4:7) and its effect on us. This is our sanctification process described in Ephesians 5:26-27 “that He (Jesus) might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless.” Even as Jesus girded himself and washed his disciple’s feet, the Word that became flesh, washes ours from the defilement of the day. No condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. The bliss (supreme happiness; utter joy) of this glorious thought indeed!

MY PRAYER: How can we give you thanks, that are sufficient, for the things that you have done for us? Thank you for cleansing us from our sin by your precious blood. Thank you for continuing to wash our feet through the water of your word. In Jesus’ precious name, amen.

MY CONFESSION: Jesus, you are the One who has washed and is washing me so that I may be holy and blameless. I will cooperate with your Holy Spirit. I stand on your Word!