“After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to Him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’ Jesus replied, ‘You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’ ‘No,’ said Peter, ‘You shall never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me.’ ‘Then, Lord,’ Simon Peter replied, ‘not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!’ Jesus answered, ‘Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.’”
John 13:5-10 (NIV)
These verses start with a metaphor–Jesus washing the disciple’s feet. It was a picture of being a humble servant, of serving each other.
But then Jesus in these verses talked about baths and being clean and then obviously He extends the picture of foot-washing to something more. Why would Jesus say if you are not washed you have no part with Me?
What is the bath that Jesus refers to and what is the washing? Jesus doesn’t tell us but fortunately the Bible does tell us.
“He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior.”
Titus 3:5-6 (NIV)
The bath is a reference to the washing, cleansing process of salvation–the once and done spiritual change of salvation.
What then is the washing of feet in these verses? It is being forgiven. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 (NIV)
How should we pray for forgiveness? Is it: “Lord, forgive me for all the bad things I’ve done, amen?” The Bible tells us.
FORGIVENESS FROM GOD IS ESSENTIAL FOR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
Because God is holy, He cannot be in relationship with sin. When we live with unconfessed and unforgiven sin, we are made unholy. But 1 John 1:9 tells us that when we confess and turn from our sin, God forgives us. Jesus died on the Cross in our place taking the punishment we deserve. “He Himself bore our sins” in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by His wounds you have been healed.’” 1 Peter 2:24 (NIV)
FORGIVENESS OF OTHERS IS ESSENTIAL FOR FORGIVENESS FROM GOD.
Admitting our sins before God and getting His forgiveness might be easier than getting forgiveness from people we are having conflicts with. But God tells us that forgiving others is essential if we want forgiveness from Him. “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV).
FORGIVENESS FROM GOD DOESN’T REQUIRE ANYBODY ELSE DOING ANYTHING FOR YOU.
Salvation through Jesus Christ, the “bath” from John 13, gives every follower of Jesus direct access to God. You can pray directly to God. You don’t have to be any special place, it doesn’t even matter if the person you apologize to apologizes back. Forgiveness is personal between you and God.
So, how do you ask God to forgive you?
BASIC PRAYER GUIDELINES FOR ASKING FOR FORGIVENESS:
Confess your sin. Own and name what you have done. God forgives generically asking for forgiveness but when you specifically own what you have done–you then have the opportunity to grow and find God’s path to deal with that sin.
Repent of your sin. Repent means to turn around and go the other way on God’s path. Ephesians 4:22-32.
Ask for forgiveness. Seek to restore the relationship by asking and giving mercy. Not only will the relationship be restored, the relationship can grow stronger.
Asking for forgiveness is simply that we love God enough that we don’t want anything, any sin to become a barrier in our relationship with Him.
