but also my hands and my head," rather than forfeit a share with Thee. Again he has to

learn the lesson of his own ignorance. This time he goes to the other extreme. The Lord

answers him with the words, "He that hath been bathed (leloumenous) hath no necessity

save to wash (nipsasthai) his feet, but is clean every whit."

What lessons are here? Do we not see that only those who have been washed by the

Lord have any share with Him? May every reader know the completeness of the

cleansing once and for ever that results from the application of the atoning blood of

Christ. Peter's words, "Not my feet only, but 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," that they are "complete in Him." To such the reply of the Lord may come with

power, "He that hath been bathed is clean every whit."

Two most important aspects of sanctification are to be found in verse 10:--

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, but we are also still in the body on the earth. Some, realizing that the

Scripture teach that the believer is "complete in Christ," emphasize the first sentence,

"they are clean every whit." These either develop some phase of "sinless perfection," or

irresponsible license. They forget that there will be a continual need for those who are

clean every whit to wash their feet. 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 also their head and their

hands. They forget that the Lord has "forgiven us all trespasses"; that He has made us

"new creatures in Christ Jesus," and that our "walk" here below cannot alter our

"position" in the heavenlies in Christ. 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 be able, like Paul, not only to say, "Oh wretched man

that I am," but also, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ