Over the past few weeks, I’ve been stuck in John 13, pondering and praying over the story of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples. Although there are obvious “servanthood” and “cleansing” lessons to be learned here, I feel like there is still a profound truth hiding in this story that I have yet to see.

When Peter protested at the thought of Jesus washing his feet, Jesus answered with a couple of strange statements:

Vs 8 If I do not wash you, you have no part with me

Vs 10 You are clean, you’ve been washed completely and you just need your feet to be cleansed

When Jesus (the Living Word) approaches us with water and a towel, it’s easy to feel repulsed by the thought of him serving us in this way. If our first reaction is to look inward and compare ourselves to his pure image, we will find ourselves in a place where we have a hard time receiving his kindness and goodness because we feel unworthy of it. In Peter’s protest, I see unworthiness and a sin conscious mindset. 

Jesus reacted to Peter by telling him that although it was necessary to be washed, he was completely clean except for his feet. Peter was thinking about sin, but Jesus had sanctification and holiness on his mind!

There are two kinds of cleansing agents mentioned in the scriptures.

1) The blood of Jesus: 

1 John 1:7 If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

2) The water of the word:

Ephesians 5:25-27 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.

John 15:3 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.

From these verses, we can see that although sin is taken care of by the blood of Jesus, holiness is found in being washed by the water of the word. Most people think that by getting rid of sin, we become holy. However, holiness is actually a matter of nature. God “is” holy! It is his nature, and it also becomes our new nature in Christ. As we enter into union with Jesus, his word sanctifies us and cleanses us, making us holy. 

So, what is it about the feet? Why did Jesus single out that particular body part? I feel like something happens when we walk around on this earth. It affects our feet, the part of us that carries good news and peace.

Nahum 1:15 Behold, on the mountains, the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace! (also Ephesians 6:15)

As we go through life, there can be things right next to the ground, earthy things that have the potential to affect our peace. This is due to simple proximity effect. We have not become dirty if we walk by a magazine stand and see something that is hard to unsee, or happen to stumble across a website that assaults our senses. Welcome to spending time on planet earth!! We are still completely clean … it’s just our feet – we might very well notice a loss of peace under these circumstances. 

The answer to this kind of situation is much different than most of us think. It is not found in a knee-jerk reaction to try and repent or somehow confess sin that is not even there. It is found in the very humbling action of having our feet washed by Jesus, the bridegroom of the ages. The only way to get rid of the defilement of the earth is to submit to the profound thought that Jesus, our Lord and Savior wants to serve us!

Right before the foot washing passage, we find this verse:

John 13:1 (TPT) Jesus knew that the night before Passover would be his last night on earth before leaving this world to return to the Father’s side. All throughout his time with his disciples, Jesus had demonstrated a deep and tender love for them. And now he longed to show them the full measure of his love. 

Remaining holy and undefiled by the world is all about love, union and letting the divine trinity serve us.

A life lived in constant union with the Living Word, keeps us squeaky clean, shiny, and holy!! It is the natural result of a relationship with the bridegroom of heaven who loves us with a deep and tender love, and who longs to serve us, his bride. It is part of the Kainos new creation life! It’s called abiding – us in him, and him in us.

Shalom everyone!!