April 16

The washing of water by the word. — EPH. v. 26.

Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. — JOHN xv. 3.

IN how many ways do men seek to be clean apart from the Word, by ceremonies, by reformations, by resolutions, by introspections, by feelings! All these ways how resultless! There is but one way, . . . "Now are ye clean through the Word." The Word gives us light upon our condition as sinners. The Word sets forth Christ. The Word assures us that believing in him, we are "accepted in the Beloved." We are "born again" by the Word. The Word sets us at liberty.

More than this, — we are "purged" by the Word. We are "in the Vine" by the Word: then, as the branches, we must be pruned by it. Our Saviour has in the thirteenth chapter marked this distinction, — "He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet." The two words "washed," "wash," are not the same in the Greek. One is bathing the whole body; the other is washing or wiping the hands or the feet. One is regeneration; the other is restored communion. The whole man is washed from sin and washed at once and washed forever in the cleansing blood of Christ; but then the sandalled feet in life's journey may acquire a surface defilement. Hence we have need to look to our ways, to try to test them by the Word of God. Thus does the Word make us consciously clean. It gives us a conscience void of offence, — a great matter. "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word."

George S. Bishop.

Order my footsteps by thy Word

And make my heart sincere:

Let sin have no dominion, Lord,

And keep my conscience clear. WATTS