Bob Cassell, Messenger, RFTC
The believer’s cleansing as referenced in John 13:1-10 is for those who have been washed. This unusual account is introduced by these words: “Having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end” (v.1). There are two references in this message that relate to the perfect Love of God for mankind. The first mention is His love for the world, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life” (3:16). This God centered love caused Him to give His only begotten Son. Here in these superabounding words is “the grace of God which brings salvation that has appeared to all men” (Titus 2:11). The second mention is His love for Martha, Mary and Lazarus. “Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus” (John 11:5).
The raising of Lazarus typifies the grace that is to be brought at the revelation of Jesus Christ. The washing of the disciple’s feet typifies another aspect of grace. It is the grace which provides a cleansing from defilement that is due to contact with this sinful world during the daily life of a believer. And herein is a clear statement of the great and abiding love of God. In these aspects of the grace of God there is a demonstration of the complete provision for deliverance from sin for the child of God. It should be no surprise to see that grace has always emanated from the matchless love of God. To be certain, it is grace that expresses itself on behalf of fallen humankind. It is no accident that in these incidents the inexpressible love of God is clearly emphasized.
God’s love for this sin infected world was measured by what He so graciously gave, His own infinite and most Holy Son. It is possible you are not aware that there is a limitation on this love.
The limitation is God’s own righteousness and justice. Justice cannot be rendered unless His righteousness is satisfied. Righteousness cannot be satisfied without justice being rendered. Therefore, before God can save it is necessary to accept the Son of God as the unique Son who was lifted up on the cross as a propitiation for sin. In the case of the love of Jesus “for his own” which are in the world there is no limitation. Indeed, the words used show that this amazing love is without limitations. “He loved them unto the end.” The reference here is in Heb. 7:25 and in translation means “unto the end” it means to the uttermost. Stop to observe… He does save to the uttermost, but the saved here are those who COME TO GOD BY HIM. For those that come… He ever lives to make intercession for them. For those who do not come there is no salvation forever, but rather a forever eternal wrath. “He that believes on the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36). Further in this scripture, “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18). The careful believer would observe that “to the end or to the uttermost” refers to duration and not to degree or the total absoluteness of salvation. It is comforting that there is sureness of salvation, but there is more as the believer is given greater assurance at the point of belief by the use of the words “to the uttermost” which refers to forever, and eternally. It is clear that Christ’s love for those who are His children and His ability to save those who have come to Him is just as sure as the words of Christ are eternal, reliable, and sure.
Please pause to read and meditate on the eternal words of the Apostle Paul, and you will be persuaded by what stands the test of time and skepticism forever.
“Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, ‘For thy sake we are being put to death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered’ But in all these things we are more than conquers through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8: 33-39).
I suggest you read and reread this powerful and assuring scripture for endurance and deliverance through the greatest difficulty, trials, loss, heartache, and any testing that you may experience as a member of His royal family. This forever position is in Christ and is unalterable because it is in Him and is not maintained by good behavior nor is it lost because of bad behavior. If a believer could be saved by good behavior and lost by bad behavior, then it is behavior that determines his saved or lost condition and his human efforts would of necessity be the means of obtaining the free gift of eternal life, and the free gift of eternal life would no longer be by the grace of God.
The believer’s position in love of those who have been saved was declared by Jesus just before He demonstrated the meaning of a parable which teaches the need of cleansing from defilement due to contact with the world. This is a sure lesson for a child of God who has not yet learned that sin or defilement cannot separate him from the love and keeping power of his eternal Savior.
This understanding is absolutely essential to realize the amazing grace of God. On this firm basis alone can the cleansing and keeping power of God remain as His unmerited favor.
Jesus, at this point in time, had washed the feet of some of the disciples. As He approached Peter, Peter said, “Lord, do you wash my feet? In referring to Jesus as Lord, Peter with his own words, confessed that his position was one of subjection and dependence upon Jesus as is consistent for the one who is saved and kept by the wonderful grace of God. But in refusing to have his feet washed, he demonstrated that his heart was separated from what he had confessed with his lips. At this point in time Peter did not understand all that Jesus did for him was precipitated by perfect love and directed by infinite wisdom and therefore could not be questioned by him. Had Peter fully understood the impact of God’s grace he would have yielded without protest, even though what was accomplished seemed entirely out of place.
Jesus answered Peter, “What I do you know not now: but you shall know hereafter” (John 13: 7). This statement is a clear and present indication of the believer’s sure position in Christ under grace that was yet to be fully understood by Peter. What Christ did was not immediately understood, but as it is He who does it; those who believe in Him might come to understand that He will continue to dwell within them and by the instrumentality of the Holy Spirit abide forever.
To accept all that God sends as part of His amazing plan even though not always understood and contrary to human reasoning is the correct attitude under grace.
Stubborn and willful Peter refused to understand and accept these things. They were new and did not seem to line up with his growing knowledge of the Holy word of God.
Peter emphatically declared, “Thou shalt never wash my feet.” Then Jesus said, “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me” (John 13: 8). He did not say “in me” because in me was a reference to eternal life in Him. “With me” expresses fellowship. Peter would not have lost his salvation if his feet had not been washed, but He would have lost fellowship with the Lord. There are many things the believer has “in Him.” There are also things to be shared “with Christ” and many of these things are not for all believers it is only those that suffer with Him who will reign with Him (2 Tim. 2:12). “If we endure, we shall also reign with Him.” God’s grace provides certain things for those who immediately trust Him as their ever-present Savior and walk with him day by day. Peter knew Jesus was his only savior but he had to learn to trust him as though he was absent and not present, so do we!
Peter, gaining in understanding said: “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head” (John 13:9). This kind of limited understanding called for divine clarification, and it was immediately provided. Jesus said to him, “He that is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean, and you are clean, but not all of you” (John 13:10). In the original language “washed” means the whole person. The identical root word is used in Titus 3:5 where the reference is to regeneration, or the new birth “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5).
This same word for washed is also used in Revelation 1:5, “Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood.” The meaning of the word wash here is “to wet only a part.” It means a partial cleansing. The meaning of the answer Jesus gave was: he that is bathed by the full washing of regeneration needs only to have his feet washed to be totally clean.
The feet of the individual who is fully bathed can become soiled continually by dust and dirt from the path that is traveled. It is also true that he who is washed by the one and only washing of regeneration will, in his daily life, become contaminated by contact with the world. Such a person need only to be cleansed from a specific sin and is “every whit clean.”
By this act of regeneration Jesus taught that the grace and truth which came by Him includes a provision for the continued cleansing of the one who has been born again. It was definitely declared to issue from the love of Jesus Christ for His own. The person who trusts in Christ to totally cleanse him will also fellowship and share with Him in glory.
An additional message of grace in this portion of scripture occurs after Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet. He stated, “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet: you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you” (John 13:14,15). This is an act of humiliation and can become a rule of life for all believers. Not that a literal washing of feet is required, but rather it is a demonstration of self-humiliation before other believers.
It may be prudent to notice the language that Jesus used in establishing His actions that served as an example for the disciples. His words were, “you also ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14 b).
The admonitions of the law are “Thou shalt” and “Thou shalt Not.” The wooing of grace is “you ought to.” This serves as an appeal and not a required demand. This language is not in conformity with the message of this passage. It is characteristic of the language of all grace teaching. “I beseech you” (Rom. 12:1). “Let not sin … reign in your mortal body” (Rom. 6:12). “… you ought to walk and to please God” (1 Thes. 4:1). These statements are clearly for purposes of illustration.
The meaning is that there is no guilt attached to our failures to comply. Such could not be the case for otherwise it could not be by means of grace. This does not mean that compliance is not recognized or honored or that neglect or omissions are not taken into account. All of this is related to rewards and pertains to one who is already redeemed; it is not a reference to loss of eternal life.
Within the context of this portion of scripture, Jesus knew he would soon be going back into Heaven in a victorious resurrection body to be seated on the right hand of God to make intercession for sinners. It is also certain that all believers are going to be in Heaven with God and those who have gone on before them. “Jesus said: “If I go . . . I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:3).
These powerful verses have brought great comfort to immeasurable numbers of believers, and rightly so … however, it is a misplaced confidence for the unbeliever to place comfort in these eternal words. The admonition, “Let not your heart be troubled,” is directly and exclusively related to faith in Jesus Christ, the son of God; the only savior. It is not enough to believe in God, it is only those who believe in the Son who may claim these precious words of comfort and promise. Those who would acknowledge God but not His son fail to understand that it is only through the Son that God’s grace flows to humanity.
Apart from the Son, God’s grace does not emanate. Those who receive His grace must receive Him through whom came grace and truth. Any recognition of God apart from the Son is a recognition of God as Creator and sustainer of all mankind, and to know Him is to receive the Son as the only mediator between God and men. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).
Grace is realized by sinful humanity the instant they walk through the door by which entrance into heaven may be gained. This exclusive door is the only means by which eternal life may be obtained. The means is by faith in Christ, and that exclusive door is none other than the Son of God who is the way, the truth, and the life. “I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved” (John 10:9). “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber” (John 10:1).
“As I live, says the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his evil way and live: turn you, turn you from your evil way; for why will you die? (Ezek. 33:11). “There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov. 14:12). Turning from evil ways without turning to Jesus Christ does not appropriate eternal salvation. The turn must be to Christ who becomes the only way to heaven. “I know how that you turned TO GOD, FROM IDOLS to serve the true and living God” (1 Thess. 1:9). Turning to God is the source of eternal life; turning from sin is to turn from something that only Christ did something about, eternally. He paid for all sin on the cross and victoriously declared “IT IS FINISHED”
There will be no rest for the restless soul until eternal rest is realized in the person of the only Savior THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).
