The purpose of cleansing the spiritual body is to set believers apart and keep them fit for service to Christ, the Head of the body, so that He may present the Church to Himself as glorious, without spot or wrinkle.
Les Feldick teaches that just as the physical body needs daily cleansing, the spiritual body—the Body of Christ—also needs constant cleansing. This cleansing does not come through water but through the Word of God. Being in the Word keeps believers in a place where they can serve Him and ultimately bring glory to Christ.
Ephesians 5:26-27 — This passage directly states that Christ cleanses the church with the washing of water by the Word, so that He might present it to Himself as glorious, without spot or wrinkle, holy and without blemish.
Ephesians 5:25-27 (KJV) says: "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." This shows that Christ's purpose in cleansing the church—the body of believers—is to make it holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:30 (KJV) adds: "For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones." Believers are members of Christ's spiritual body, and the cleansing of that body is tied to the Word of God, not to any physical water.
Les Feldick teaches that the spiritual body, the Body of Christ, needs constant cleansing just as the physical body needs daily washing. This cleansing is accomplished through the Word of God, not through baptismal water or any ritual. Believers are to saturate themselves in Scripture, which has a cleansing effect. The purpose is that Christ may present the Church to Himself as glorious, without spot or wrinkle, holy and without blemish. This cleansing is connected to the believer's walk and service—being in the Word keeps believers fit for service to Christ and for the good of the whole body.
Les Feldick explains that the daily cleansing is not with a tub of water or a washcloth, but with the cleansing of the Word. Believers are left in a defiling world and need to be continually cleansed by saturating themselves in Scripture. Just as the feet needed washing after walking through dusty streets, believers need daily cleansing from the defilement of the world. This cleansing involves confessing sin as soon as it is recognized, not begging for forgiveness, because believers are already forgiven.
The body of Christ needs cleansing so that Christ can present it to Himself as a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. Les emphasizes that this cleansing is not for salvation—believers are already cleansed and forgiven—but for sanctification and practical holiness. The goal is that the body should be holy and without blemish, set apart for God's purposes. Cleansing also keeps believers fit for service to the Head, Christ.
Les teaches that every believer is a member of the body and has a role. Since members have a common goal, they should get busy serving Christ for the good of the body. The cleansing of the Word is essential for this service—it keeps believers in a place where they can be used by the Lord. The body is built up and edified as believers are cleansed and matured through the Word.
Members Serving the Body
Les teaches that every believer is placed in the body as it pleases God, and members should serve Him for the good of the body and for reward.
Daily Cleansing Through the Word
Les explains that even though believers are cleansed and forgiven, they need daily cleansing because they live in a defiling world, and this cleansing comes through the Word, not water.
The Washing of Water by the Word
Les teaches that Christ sanctifies and cleanses the body with the washing of water by the Word, not baptismal water, so that He may present it to Himself as a glorious church without spot or wrinkle.
Saturating Ourselves in the Book
Les emphasizes the need to constantly saturate ourselves in the Word, which cleanses and feeds the believer, and when sin is recognized, it should be confessed.
The Glorious Klesia Without Spot or Wrinkle
Les reiterates that Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it to sanctify and cleanse it by the Word, that He might present it as a glorious, holy, without-blemish assembly.
Edifying the Body of Christ
Les explains that all ministry gifts are for the edifying of the Body of Christ, to bring believers to maturity.
Inundating Ourselves with the Word
Les teaches that believers are cleansed by inundating themselves with the Word, which has a cleansing effect, and he asks how many times Paul tells us to ask for forgiveness, implying confession rather than repeated forgiveness.
Feeding Members for Soul Winning
Les teaches that the primary purpose of the Church is to feed members so they can go out and become soul winners, which is part of edifying the Body.
Ephesians 5:25-27: 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.
This is the central passage on the purpose of cleansing the spiritual body—Christ cleanses the church by the Word to present it holy and without blemish.
Ephesians 5:30: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
This shows that believers are part of Christ's spiritual body, making the cleansing of the body directly applicable to every believer.
Ephesians 4:12-13: For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
This relates to the purpose of cleansing—building up the body so it can fulfill its ministry and mature in Christ.
Cleansing the spiritual body means being sanctified and made holy through the Word of God. Les Feldick teaches that just as the physical body needs washing, the spiritual body needs daily cleansing through Scripture, not through water or rituals.
Believers are left in a defiling world and are already forgiven, but they need daily cleansing from the defilement they encounter. Les compares it to the disciples' feet getting dirty after a bath—the rest of the body is clean, but feet need washing constantly.
The ultimate goal is that Christ may present the Church to Himself as a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle, holy and without blemish. This cleansing keeps believers fit for service to Christ and brings glory to His name.
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