The Cleansing Process

Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you (John 13:10)

There are two kinds of cleansing. The initial cleansing of the soul by the working of the Holy Spirit takes place at the point of salvation, while the ongoing washing of the entire person as life goes on in the world.

The one who has bathed

1. Jesus is speaking to Simon Peter (John 13:8-9)
   1. Peter does not allow Jesus to wash him
   2. Jesus replies, saying that Peter has no share with him
   3. Peter requests Jesus to wash him entirely
2. Jesus implies in his reply to Peter that Peter (together with some of the disciples) has bathed
3. This idea of bathing refers to an initial and complete cleansing of the soul
   1. Through the word of Jesus (John 15:3, 1 Peter 1:22-234)
   2. Through the washing of the Holy Spirit (John 3:6, Titus 3:5-6)
4. This is a reference to one’s second birth (John 3:6)

Does not need to wash

1. The one who has bathed does not need any repetition of the same kind of cleansing
   1. This act of cleansing refers to the atonement of our sin
   2. This cleansing of us from the original sin is once-for-all kind of act
   3. Those of us who have bathed “are completely clean”
2. Obviously, we do not need to bathe again
3. But the one who has not bathed needs to wash entirely

Except for his feet

1. The one who has bathed needs the washing of his feet
2. Why his feet? Because he walks among people in the world
   1. Resisting all forms of evil (Amos 5:15)
   2. Rejecting every form of injustice
   3. Laying aside every weight and sin (Heb.12:1)
3. This washing of the feet is a cleansing which is
   1. Personally experienced as God’s mercy of cleansing
   2. Constantly sought out as personal righteousness
   3. Gradually resulted in an ever greater degree of sanctification

Let’s seek an ever greater manifestation of this ‘washing of the feet’ in our life!