The Journey Continues: Dirty Feet

"He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, 'Lord, do you wash my feet?' Jesus answered him, 'What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.' Peter said to him, 'You shall never wash my feet.' Jesus answered him, 'If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.' Simon Peter said to him, 'Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!' Jesus said to him, 'The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean...'” - John 13:6-10, ESV

Growing up in a Presbyterian congregation, the confession of sins often felt like a brief part of the service*. It wasn't until I began attending Lutheran worship that I came to appreciate how confession and absolution restore the joy of fellowship with God and comfort troubled consciences.

For me, I saw it much like Jesus' washing of the disciples' feet in the Upper Room, especially as headstrong Peter insisted that Jesus wash him completely. When we receive the Gift of Grace, we are bathed in forgiveness. The sins of our past, present and future are washed away. But, even with that, we still sin. And while our sins may not be as heinous as committing murder, or embezzling church funds, our pride, our desires, and our appetites can cause us to stray from the path God has called us to walk. Our feet get dirty, and we need to wash the dust of sin from our feet so we can sit at the table with our Lord, in wonderful, fulfilling companionship and love.

Miles J. Stanford, in his compilation book titled The Complete Green Letters, captures the nature of Confession of Sins perfectly: 

"There are many Christians who feel that confession of sin is unnecessary. They reason that if their sins are already fully forgiven, why bother to confess them? It is true that we need not ask for forgiveness when we sin; rather, we are free to thank Him for that forgiveness provided at Calvary and received in Christ. But it is necessary to honestly confess our sins, thus siding with Him against ourselves, else how can we enjoy true fellowship with the One who is holy and hates sin perfectly?" - Miles J. Stanford, The Complete Green Letters, Part 3, chapter 37, page 172.

Praise be to God that we are cleansed from our sin by the blood of Christ and His resurrection. Because of Him, we may come boldly before the throne of grace, knowing that though our feet become dusty along life's journey, He is faithful to wash them clean so that we may enjoy fellowship with Him.

Soli Deo Gloria

*This reflects my own experience in Presbyterian and Lutheran worship. Both traditions teach that forgiveness comes through Christ alone, though they differ in how confession and absolution are practiced. Historic Lutheranism strongly encourages private confession and absolution as a means of bringing Christ's forgiveness personally to troubled consciences.