What is the lesson of Jesus washing the disciples' feet for believers today?
Believers who are already washed and forgiven still require daily cleansing because walking in this sin-filled world defiles them. Foot washing illustrates this ongoing need, which Paul connects to the cleansing of the Word, not another bath for salvation. It shows salvation is complete, yet daily fellowship needs cleansing.
Les explains that Jesus washing the disciples' feet in John's Gospel is a lesson about the believer's daily walk. Peter objected, but the Lord told him that unless He washed him, Peter would have no part with Him; Peter then asked for a full bath. The Lord clarified that Peter and the other ten, all but Judas, had already been washed—they had salvation—but because they were still in a sin-filled earth, their daily walk was being defiled and their feet got dirty. That is the whole lesson of foot washing. Les then points to Ephesians, where Paul speaks of a daily cleansing, not with a tub of water or a washcloth, but with the cleansing of the Word. Scripture shows this ongoing need of cleansing even for the believer, since we are left in this old world to be defiled. In Jesus' day, people bathed centrally and then walked home in open-toed sandals, so their feet became filthy even though the rest of the body was clean. Likewise, believers have been cleansed and forgiven, but they still need daily cleansing.