lowliest office of an eastern house. "Moab is my washpot--over Edom have I cast out

my shoe", cried the exultant and victorious David, designating the most menial offices

for his vanquished enemies. "He took a towel and girded Himself" is the lowly action of

David's greater Son.

The washing of the feet is the symbol of that which is expressed in literal terms all

through chapters 13:-17:, where, as cited above, we read of the believer's relations

with this evil world. The Saviour loved His own in the beginning. He loved them to the

end. He not only died for them, but He lives for them. He not only sanctifies them once

for all by His one offering, but He sanctifies them daily by the washing of the water of

the Word. Every Bible study, therefore, should be conducted in the sanctuary. Its

precious teaching should be received as a ministry from the ascended Lord. As the Holy

Spirit takes of the things of Christ and shows them unto us, we are sanctified by the

Spirit, but we are also sanctified by the truth, for He is the Spirit of truth, and never

works apart from the Word. And inasmuch as the testimony of the Spirit through the

Word is to direct us back to Calvary and up to the throne of grace, we may take the words

of I John 1: 7 as but another facet of the same blessed message:--

Our last article led us to I John 1: 7, and in the present article we shall seek from this

passage further light upon the question of sanctification.

In the first place we must remember that the epistle to the Colossians makes it clear

that the sphere of our acceptance is "in the light", and that "in His sight" we shall be

presented holy, unblameable and unreproveable (Col. 1: 12 and 22). This blessed and

wonderful result of the death of Christ and the grace of God does not, however, mean that

it is unnecessary for the apostle, in the same chapter, to warn and teach, so that he may

present every man perfect in Christ Jesus (Col. 1: 28). Position is one thing; a walk that

is worthy of it is another.

Turning to I John 1: 7, we must first of all realize that the passage deals with "walk".

If we realize this we shall have no difficulty about the thought of a daily cleansing.

John, early in the epistle, reveal his message:--