JUSTIFIED FROM ALL THINGS BEFORE GOD!

"He who is washed, needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean." -John 13:10 [KJV]

How precious is the word of the Lord! being in great disorder of body and heaviness of soul, our Lord refreshed and comforted me with these words. Here, Christ most plainly teaches us these blessed truths: (1st.) That every believer is washed by Him from the filth of all his sins. (2nd.) That each and every one are equally and alike perfectly clean from all sin, in God’s sight; “not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing” (Ephesians 5:27.)—“Justified from all things before God” (Acts 13:39.) There is not one condemnation against them from God (see Romans 8:1.) 

Therefore, (3d.) They need no other cleansing to make them acceptable to God, pure in His sight, meet to come into His presence now, and to enjoy Him to all eternity. Rejoice, O my fellow-sinners! and thou, too, my soul! in a lowly, self-abasing, disciple washing, sin-cleansing Jesus. He says, (let carnal reason, legal spirits, and lying Satan suggest what they may) “Clean every whit: ye are clean.” 

Blessed Spirit! Thou, Who brought us into this precious state— O! cause this glorious truth to shine in our hearts this night, in all its glory and comfort. Eternal thanks to Thee, for faith to receive it! Glory to the Son of God, Whose precious blood cleanseth from all sin (1 John 1:7.) But though every whit clean; though perfectly cleansed by Christ, yet He knows and we find, that we are daily prone to defile our feet. To Him we must come for cleansing from the pollution of our daily walk and conversation. Faith has daily to do with a purifying Saviour. But beware that we ascribe not that cleansing to the grace of faith, which is only in the blood of Christ. 

See what blessed news, Peter’s mistaken humility, in refusing Christ to wash his feet, brought from our Lord’s lips to our hearts. View the love of a gracious, condescending Lord. Did He stoop so low as to wash Hhis disciples’ feet? and will He ever be above washing [will it now be beneath Him to wash] the fresh-contracted guilt of His dear members, who come unto Him? No: harbour not such a dishonourable thought of His love. He knows, He tells us, we need washing of our feet, that we may walk clean and comfortable before Him. O! let us come humbly to Him, and rejoice that Christ is that fountain opened, and that His precious blood has a continual virtue to cleanse from all sin and uncleanness (Zechariah 13:1.)

The fountain of Christ, 

Assist me to sing, 

The blood of our Priest, 

Our crucify’d King;

Which perfectly cleanses 

From sin and from filth, 

And richly dispenses 

Salvation and health.

This fountain from guilt 

Not only makes pure, 

And gives, soon as felt, 

Infallible cure:

But if guilt, removed, 

Return and remain, 

Its pow’r may be proved, 

Again and again.

 

-preacher William Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)