Christ. Peter's words `Not my feet only, but also my hands and my head' are echoed daily by many believers, who,

seeing their own unworthiness, belittle the fulness that is theirs in Christ and do not rest upon the gracious words

that they are `accepted in the Beloved' (Eph. 1:6), that they are `complete in Him' (Col. 2:10). To such, the reply of

the Lord may come with illuminating power, `HE THAT HATH BEEN BATHED ... IS CLEAN EVERY WHIT'.

Two most important aspects of sanctification are to be found in verse ten :

(1) `HE THAT HATH BEEN BATHED ... IS CLEAN EVERY WHIT'.

(2) `NEVERTHELESS, SUCH AN ONE NEEDS TO WASH HIS FEET'.

We are continually forgetting that these two go together. Not only are we `in Heavenly places in Christ' (Eph.

1:3), but we are also still in the body on the earth. Some, realizing that the Scriptures teach that the believer is

`complete in Him (Christ)' (Col. 2:10), isolate and emphasize the first sentence, they are `clean every whit'. These

either develop some phase of sinless perfection or irresponsible licence. They forget that there will be a continual

need for those who are `clean every whit' to wash their feet, the part that comes in contact with the earth, and

associated with the Christian walk.

Others, realizing that since their conversion their feet have strayed from the path of truth, forget their unaltered

and unalterable perfectness in Christ, and so not only pray for the washing of their feet, but their head and their

hands. They forget that the Lord has forgiven us `all trespasses' (Col. 2:13); that He has made us `new creatures in

Christ Jesus' (2 Cor. 5:17); and that our walk here below cannot alter our position in the heavenlies in Christ, but,

rather, that our glorious position `there' should influence our walk `here'. The first class develop spiritual pride; the

second, spiritual despair.

Let us remember the perfectness of His cleansing, but also the imperfectness of our walk as believers. We shall

then, like Paul, not only say `Oh wretched man that I am' (Rom. 7:24), but also `There is therefore now (i.e. at the

selfsame time) no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus' (Rom. 8:1).

`If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the Blood of Jesus Christ

His Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If

we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we

say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. My little children, these things write I

unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate (Paraclete) with the Father, Jesus Christ the

Righteous' (1 John 1:7 to 2:1).

Peace! What a word this is! How, like a balm, it soothes and mollifies. How often the apostle was inspired in

the opening words of his Epistles to wish the saints `peace'!

Peace is one of the LORD's blessings for His people (Psa. 29:11). One of the titles of Christ that Isaiah uses early

is `The Prince of Peace'. Again, it is in Isaiah that we read that comforting passage, `Thou wilt keep him in perfect

peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD

JEHOVAH is everlasting strength (margin, the rock of ages)' (Isa. 26:3,4).

A most profitable study would be the consideration of the way in which this word is used by the apostle Paul. In

the Epistle to the Romans, we find the word used more than in any other Epistle. There it occurs eleven times.

Speaking of man by nature the apostle says, `The way of peace have they not known' (Rom. 3:17) and he prefaces

this with the solemn words `Destruction and misery are in their ways'. What a contrast - their ways and the way of

When we look back upon these `ways', what grace, what love it must have been that set our feet in the `way of

peace'. How accurate is the Scripture. `They are all gone out of the way' (Rom. 3:12), (the way of peace), singular,

whereas `their ways' are plural. Many are the ways of misery and enmity, but one way only is the way of peace. If

we would enquire concerning this way, we shall find it stated in chapter 5:1, `Being justified by faith, we have

peace with God'. The way of peace is not paved with good resolutions; none enter there because they have turned

over a new leaf; the entrance to this road which leads to life and glory is `Justification by Faith'.