NEW TESTAMENT WASHINGS
PastorJ. C. O’Hair
First read John 13:1 to 14, the record of Christ washing the feet of His apostles. In John 13:10 two different Greek words are translated “wash.” “Jesus saith to him, (Peter), He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.”
He that is washed. The Greek word is “LOUO.” This is the same Greek word used in Hebrews 10:22 - Acts 16:33 and Revelation 1:5. “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies WASHED with pure water.” “And he took them the same hour of the night, and WASHED their stripes; and was baptized, he and his, straightway.” “Unto Him that loved us, and WASHED us from our sins in His own blood.”
“LOUO” has the meaning of “all-over” washing. This is what the believer receives when he comes by faith to Christ and to Calvary. He is there reconciled, forgiven, redeemed and justified.
After this the saint needs and receives the second “wash” of John 13:10. This Greek word is “NIPTO” and has the meaning of a cleansing, or washing, of part of the body. Note the blind boy in John 9:7: “And said unto him, Go. WASH in the pool of Siloam. (which by interpretation, Sent). He went his way therefore, and WASHED, and came seeing.” This is the same word.
This washing of the Christian’s feet speaks of Christ’s work at God’s right hand as Advocate. (I John 1:7 to 9 - I John 2:1 and 2).
Now note another Greek word, “APOLOUO,” used in Acts 22:16 and I Corinthians 6:11: “And now why tarriest thou? arise, (Paul), and be baptized, and WASH away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” “And such were some of you: but ye are WASHED, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”
Then in Matthew 27:24 the Greek word is “APONIPTO.” And in Luke 5:2 the Greek word is “APOPLUNO.”
Then note Ephesians 5:26 and Titus 3:5: “That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the WASHING of water by the Word.” “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the WASHING of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” The Greek word in these two verses is “LOUTRON.”
There were old testament “DIVERS WASHINGS” (Hebrews 9:10). The Greek word is “BAPTISMOS.” Some of these were pourings, some sprinklings, some immersions. The Greek word in Luke 11:38 is “BAPTIZO.”
Then in Revelation 7:14 - “Robes washed in the blood of the Lamb,” the Greek word is “PLUNO.”
No ceremonial or religious washing is needed to supplement the Divine washing of Titus 3:5 and Ephesians 5:26 to make it more efficacious or lasting.
In Mark 7:20 to 23 the Lord Jesus Christ gave us an ex-ray of the human heart. The description is up to date. “From within out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, murders, thefts, deceit, blasphemy, pride, foolishness, etc. “This is confirmed in Titus 3:3 - Read it. Then follows the statement of God’s kindness and love and how God, with a Divine WASHING, washes man on the inside. Surely we know that water on the outside could not cleanse man’s sinful heart on the inside.
Surely every sinner who comes by faith to Calvary and believes unto the saving of the soul is washed once-for-all by the precious blood of the Lamb of God Which beareth away the sin of the world. But that redeemed one then needs the constant washing of his feet. We praise God for these Divine washings.
Posted By – Cecil Spivey
If you are blessed by this Bible Messages please E-mail it to your friends.
No comments:
Post a Comment