You are already clean
John 15:3 - We can continue to “stay clean” in our Christian lives by bathing daily in the sanctifying principles of the Bible, reading it, studying it, obeying it, and living it.
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“You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.”
John 15:3 NIV
This verse from the Gospel of John quotes the words of Jesus at the Last Supper. He’s about to be betrayed, arrested, tortured, and crucified, and He is trying to impress upon the disciples a few extremely important lessons. This entire chapter consists of Jesus teaching His disciples that only by abiding in Him will they have fruitful lives.
These words from Jesus are in the midst of His “vine and the branches” parable (John 15:1-5) in which He tells the disciples that He is the “true vine” and His Father is the “vinedresser” who will take away the branches that do not bear fruit, and will prune (or cleanse) those branches that do bear fruit.
To those of us who don’t grow grapes, this sounds a bit counterintuitive. Why would you prune branches that are bearing fruit? This commentary from Enduring Word explains:
d. Every branch that bears fruit He prunes: This word for prunes is the same word translated cleanse in other places. The same word could apply to either “pruning” or “cleansing” in ancient Greek. The vinedresser cleans up the fruit-bearing vine so it will bear more fruit.
i. “Left to itself a vine will produce a good deal of unproductive growth. For maximum fruitfulness extensive pruning is essential.” (Leon Morris, "The Gospel According to John" (The New International Commentary on the New Testament) (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1971))
ii. “Dead wood is worse than fruitlessness, for dead wood can harbor disease and decay…God removes the dead wood from his church and disciplines the life of the believer so that it is directed into fruitful activity.” (Merril C. Tenney, "John: The Expositor's Bible Commentary" Volume 9 (John-Acts) (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1984))
iii. “And if it be painful to bleed, it is worse to wither. Better be pruned to grow than cut up to burn.” (John Trapp, "A Commentary on the Old and New Testaments" Volume 5 (Matthew to Revelation) (Eureka, California: Tanski Publications, 1997))
This leads us to today’s verse, with Jesus telling the disciples that they are “already clean because of the word I have spoken to you”. Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus, is not included in this statement because as we find out in John 13:30, “As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out.”
The remaining eleven disciples had been with Jesus for some time, receiving His teaching and witnessing (and performing) miracles. Earlier in the evening, He had taught in John 13:10 that there was an initial cleansing, and then the cleansing continued:
“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.”
This is just after Jesus has finished washing the feet of the disciples, but He is not referring to that humble act. Instead, He is impressing upon them the fact that the Word of God cleanses them. Once again from Enduring Word:
ii. The word of God is a cleansing agent. It condemns sin, it inspires holiness, it promotes growth, and it reveals power for victory. Jesus continues to wash His people through the word (Ephesians 5:26).
David C. McCasland of Our Daily Bread Ministries (via Precept Austin) had this to say:
A pure heart is the work of Christ, and only in His power can we remain clean. We often fail, but “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to . . . cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Renewal is an inside job.
Jesus has made us clean through His sacrifice and His Word. Our speech and actions that strike others as being fresh and pure flow from inside out as we abide in Christ.
Through the Word of God we are cleansed! We can continue to “stay clean” in our Christian lives by bathing daily in the sanctifying principles of the Bible, reading it, studying it, obeying it, and living it.
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of Your Word, which cleanses and renews us each day. Help us to seek its truth daily—reading, studying, and obeying with humble hearts. Let Your Spirit guide us to live out its wisdom, so we may walk in purity and reflect Christ in all we do. Cleanse us continually, Lord, and keep us close to You through the sanctifying power of Scripture. We ask this in Jesus’ name, AMEN.