Yes — believers are completely cleansed at salvation, but they still need ongoing, daily cleansing from the defilement of living in the world, and that cleansing comes through the Word of God.
Paul tells believers they 'are washed' (1 Corinthians 6:11), yet Jesus' foot-washing in John 13 shows that those who have been fully bathed still need their dusty feet cleaned each day. Les Feldick applies this to the church: believers do not need to be saved again, but their daily walk in a defiling world requires cleansing by the Word of God (Ephesians 5:26).
John 13:10 — Jesus' words to Peter show the distinction between the total cleansing of the bath and the daily cleansing of the feet — the core of how cleansing applies to believers today.
Ephesians 5:26 — This verse directly names the washing of water by the Word as the means of cleansing the church, which Les applies to believers today.
Scripture is clear that every believer has been washed, sanctified, and justified through the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God. Paul reminds the Corinthians, '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' (1 Corinthians 6:11). This is a completed, positional cleansing. Scripture also describes an ongoing cleansing associated with the Word. In Ephesians 5:25-27, Christ gave Himself for the church 'that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.' In John 13:10, at the Last Supper, Jesus told Peter, 'He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.' The chapter records Jesus washing the disciples' feet as an acted lesson about cleansing.
Les Feldick teaches that believers' cleansing takes place in two distinct ways. First, at salvation they are washed completely — not by water but by the blood of the Lamb and by the Spirit of God. Paul tells the Corinthians they 'are washed, sanctified, justified' (1 Corinthians 6:11), and Jesus told Peter he was already clean. This is the 'bath' that never has to be repeated. Second, because believers live in a defiling world, their daily walk picks up spiritual dirt — like feet that became filthy when a Jew walked home from the public bath through dusty, unpaved streets. That is why Jesus told Peter, 'He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet.' The believer does not need to be saved again; he needs his feet washed. For the church age, Les explains, this cleansing does not come through literal water, foot washing, or baptismal water. It comes through the Word of God. Ephesians 5:26 speaks of cleansing 'with the washing of water by the word.' As Les puts it, 'We just literally inundate ourselves with the Word, and it has a cleansing effect.' The Word keeps the spiritual body in a place of service. Les also notes that the tabernacle laver of cleansing is a Scriptural lesson for all believers, and while he does not condemn literal foot-washing practices, he sees them as bringing Israel's practice into the church rather than a direct instruction for the church.
Yes. Paul writes to the Corinthians, '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' (1 Corinthians 6:11). Les points out that this washing is not in water but 'by an act of the sovereign holy God.' In John 13, Jesus told His disciples they were already clean, with the exception of Judas, who would betray Him.
Les uses the Jewish setting to explain: people took full baths at the public bath, but walked home on filthy, dusty streets, so their feet became dirty again. In John 13, Jesus told Peter that one who has been bathed does not need another bath — only his feet need washing. The same picture applies to the Christian experience: once saved, the believer is washed, but daily life in a defiling world picks up defilement that needs cleansing.
Les teaches that cleansing for the church age does not come through literal water. Ephesians 5:26 says Christ cleanses the church 'with the washing of water by the word.' Les explains this is not baptismal water but the Word of God: 'We just literally inundate ourselves with the Word, and it has a cleansing effect.' The Word also keeps believers in a place of service, so that Christ may present a glorious church without spot or wrinkle.
Les acknowledges that some believers practice foot washing and says he does not condemn them. But he believes those who do are 'bringing something in from God's dealing with Israel into the church, which is not necessarily instructed for the church.' The lesson of the laver of cleansing and the foot washing is the cleansing aspect — not the literal act.
Tabernacle Laver of Cleansing
Les uses the tabernacle layout — the brazen altar of judgment and the laver of cleansing — as a Scriptural lesson of cleansing that applies to all believers.
Cleansed by the Word
Les applies Ephesians 5:26-27 to the church age: the spiritual body is cleansed by the Word, not water, with the goal of presenting the church without spot or wrinkle.
Feet Defiled on Dusty Streets
Through John 13, Les shows that a person cleansed at the central bath (salvation) only needs his feet washed (daily cleansing) because the dusty streets defile the walk home.
Washed by the Spirit, Not Water
Paul's statement that believers are 'washed, sanctified, justified' (1 Corinthians 6:11) shows they are not cleansed by water but by the sovereign work of God — connected by Les to Jesus washing the disciples' feet.
Cultural Background of Foot Washing
Les explains the cultural setting — public baths and filthy streets — behind Jesus' foot washing, and says the same analogy is brought into the church age in Ephesians.
Washing of Water by the Word
Les identifies the 'washing of water' in Ephesians 5:26 as the Word of God, not baptismal water, and urges believers to inundate themselves with Scripture for a cleansing effect.
Literal Foot Washing Not Instructed
The laver was a wash basin and mirror reflecting the priest's cleansing need; Les says literal foot-washing practice today is not condemned but is not instructed for the church — the cleansing lesson is what matters.
Washed Once, Feet Washed Daily
Les reinforces that Peter's salvation was complete — he did not need another bath — but his feet needed washing, just as believers who are already saved still need daily cleansing in their Christian experience.
John 13:10: Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
Jesus' statement distinguishes the complete cleansing of the bath from the daily cleansing of the feet, the key picture for believers today.
Ephesians 5:26: That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
This is the verse Les uses to show that the church is cleansed by the Word, not by water.
Ephesians 5:27: That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
The goal of cleansing is to present the church spotless and holy before Christ.
1 Corinthians 6:11: 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.
Paul affirms believers are washed, sanctified, and justified — the completed positional cleansing at salvation.
Believers are completely washed once at salvation — Paul says they 'are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified' (1 Corinthians 6:11). But because they still walk in a defiling world, their daily walk needs ongoing cleansing, pictured by the foot washing Jesus gave the disciples. So cleansing is both once-for-all and daily.
Ephesians 5:26 says Christ sanctifies and cleanses the church 'with the washing of water by the word.' Les Feldick stresses this is not baptismal water but the Word of God. As believers 'inundate' themselves with Scripture, it has a cleansing effect and keeps them in a place of service.
No. Les says he does not condemn those who practice foot washing, but he believes it brings something from God's dealing with Israel into the church, which is not instructed for the church. The lesson of the feet being washed after the bath is what applies to believers today.