The Connection Between a Sinner Having a Part with Christ and Being Washed by Him
John 13:1-19
Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world to the Father…


I. A SINNER HAVING PART WITH CHRIST. This includes —

1. His being of Christ's mystical body through union with Him (1 Corinthians 12:12, 13 in contrast with 1 John 5:19; see 2 Corinthians 6:17).

2. His having communion with Christ in His saving benefits (1 John 1:3).

II. A SINNER BEING WASHED BY CHRIST.

1. There is a filthiness in sin whereby the soul is polluted and defiled before the Lord (Ezekiel 36:25; Jeremiah 44:4; Isaiah 4:4). This consists in its contrariety to the holiness of God (Exodus 15:11). Hence —

(1) It makes the sinner loathsome before God (Zechariah 11:8; Habbakuk 1:13; Psalm 5:4).

(2) It fills the soul with shame before God (Ezekiel 16:60, 61; Genesis 3:10).

2. Christ has them all to wash who get part in Him (Revelation 1:5; 1 John 1:7).

(1) There are two things in Christ's blood which make it cleansing.

(a)  An infinite value and dignity (Acts 20:28).

(b)  An infinite energy and efficacy (Hebrews 10:20).

(2) In all washing there are two things to be distinguished.

(a) The loosing of the filth of sin sticking to the soul — as pitch sticks to men's fingers (1 Corinthians 15:56). This is done in our justification.

(b) Its removal from the soul — as water takes filth right away. This is done in sanctification (Hebrews 9:14; Revelation 7:14).

(3) This cleansing lies in three things.

(a)  The putting away of former loathsomeness, so that God can look on the soul with complacency (Revelation 1:5, 6).

(b)  The making of the soul fair and clean before God (Song of Solomon 4:7).

(c)  The removal of legal shame.

(4) Faith is the instrumental course of this cleansing (Acts 15:9; Romans 3:25).

III. THE INSEPARABLENESS OF THE TWO.

1. In respect of their subject. He that has the one has the other.

2. In respect of time. They are simultaneous.

(T. Boston, D. D.)



Parallel Verses
KJV: Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

WEB: Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that his time had come that he would depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.




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