The church is cleansed by the Word of God, not by water baptism, and believers still need daily cleansing through Scripture as they walk through a defiling world.
Ephesians 5:26 says Christ cleanses the church with the washing of water by the Word. Les Feldick is emphatic that this is not baptismal water. He also uses the foot-washing picture from John 13 and the tabernacle laver to show that while believers are already washed and forgiven, they need daily cleansing from contact with the world.
Ephesians 5:25-27 — This is the key passage directly describing how Christ sanctifies and cleanses the church: by the washing of water by the Word, presenting it to Himself without spot or wrinkle.
John 13:8 — Jesus' foot-washing conversation with Peter illustrates the necessity of ongoing cleansing after the complete bath of salvation.
Paul writes: "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 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" (Ephesians 5:25-27). This is the central Scriptural statement of how the church is cleansed. The cleansing is tied directly to the Word, not to water baptism. In John's Gospel, the Lord Jesus rises from supper, lays aside His garments, takes a towel, pours water into a basin, and begins to wash the disciples' feet. When Peter objects, Jesus answers: "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me" (John 13:4-5, 8). Scripture also tells believers: "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 begins with the tabernacle picture: after the priests made their sacrifice at the altar, they stopped to wash their hands and feet before their priestly ministry, and Jesus later washed the disciples' feet at the Last Supper to picture the same truth. He then brings this into the church age through Ephesians 5:26-27: Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word. Les is emphatic that this is not baptismal water — the Word is the church's cleansing vehicle. Because believers are still in this dirty world, even though they have been cleansed and forgiven, there remains a daily need for cleansing. That daily cleansing comes as believers saturate themselves in the Word of God and confess sins as soon as they recognize them. Les says the goal is that Christ will present the church to Himself as a glorious church without spot or wrinkle, so the believer's attitude should be to glorify God, not to live carelessly.
Les uses the analogy of a person who has already taken a complete bath but whose feet become dirty while walking on filthy streets. The whole body does not need another bath — only the feet need washing. For believers, the complete cleansing has already happened through Christ, but because they walk through a defiling world, they need daily cleansing. Les says this comes through the Word of God: believers must saturate themselves in the Book and confess sins as soon as they are recognized, without begging forgiveness because they have already been forgiven.
Les is explicit: the washing of water in Ephesians 5 is not baptismal water. The spiritual body is cleansed with the Word of God. He says the church's cleansing vehicle tonight is the Word, not water baptism. Water baptism was appropriate for the Jew because of his background, but for the body of Christ the cleansing comes through the Word.
Scripture says Christ's purpose was to present the church to Himself as a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and without blemish (Ephesians 5:27). Les applies this to the Christian walk: the believer should never think, I'm saved, so what? Instead, the attitude should be to do all we can to bring glory to His name.
Priests and Foot-Washing
Les explains that the priests washed hands and feet after the sacrifice, and Jesus later washed the disciples' feet, to show the ongoing cleansing believers need after the initial bath of salvation.
Word as Daily Cleansing
Les teaches that believers get daily cleansing by saturating themselves in the Word and confessing sin as soon as it is recognized, not by begging for forgiveness.
Daily Cleansing for Forgiven Believers
Les uses the picture of a fully bathed person whose feet get dirty walking on filthy streets to show why forgiven believers still need daily cleansing.
Word, Not Baptism
Les explicitly identifies the washing of water in Ephesians 5:26 as the Word, and says water baptism is not the church's cleansing vehicle.
Cleansed by the Word
Les says the spiritual body is cleansed by the Word of God, not water, and this keeps believers in a place of service, leading to a glorious church without spot or wrinkle.
Inundate with the Word
Les insists the church's cleansing is not by baptismal water but by the Word, and believers cleanse themselves by inundating themselves with Scripture.
Washed by God
Les connects Paul's statement that believers are washed with John 13, stressing that in the spiritual realm we are not cleansed by water.
Water Rituals as Pictures
Les shows that Old Testament water rituals were symbolic pictures of spiritual cleansing; the water itself could not cleanse, only God's work through faith.
Ephesians 5:25: Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
This sets the foundation: Christ's love for the church led Him to give Himself for it before the cleansing is described.
Ephesians 5:26: That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
The cleansing of the church is directly tied to the Word, not to literal 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.
This verse reveals the goal of Christ's cleansing work in the church.
John 13:4: He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
This begins the foot-washing scene that pictures the servant cleansing believers need.
John 13:5: After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
The foot-washing was a physical picture of the continuous cleansing believers require.
John 13:8: Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
Jesus' response shows that the cleansing He gives is essential to fellowship with Him.
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.
This verse emphasizes that washing is an act of God, not a physical water ritual.
No. Scripture says Christ cleanses the church with the washing of water by the Word (Ephesians 5:26), and Les Feldick is explicit that this is not baptismal water. The Word is the cleansing vehicle for the church today.
Continually. Les compares believers to someone who has already had a full bath but whose feet get dirty walking through filthy streets, so the feet need washing daily. In the spiritual realm, believers need daily cleansing by the Word and confession of sin.
It is the Word of God. Les says it is not baptismal water, but the Word. Saturating ourselves in Scripture has a cleansing effect on the believer.
The foot-washing pictures the ongoing cleansing believers need after the complete bath of salvation. Jesus told Peter, "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me," and Les connects this with the daily cleansing of the Word.
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