Two Washings for the Child of God

 Text: Ephesians 5:25-27; Titus 3:5

In the Prison Epistles (Eph.-Col., 1 Tim.-Phile.), the pinnacle of the Pauline revelation, we read of two washings for the child of God. While not equating with those mentioned by Jesus in John 13:8-10 (before the cross) and by Paul in 1 Cor. 6:11 (Acts period, preceding the revelation of the one-body mystery), the principles are the same. A positional washing is followed by a practical, daily washing. 

The "washing of regeneration" (Tit. 3:5) occurs at the moment a sinner trusts Christ as his Saviour. Note carefully that "regeneration" is the subject here, not the object. In other words, regeneration (= "quickened" or made alive in Eph. 2:1) washes a sinner; not the other way around. Some have misread this verse to affirm that washing, as in baptism, regenerates a sinner, which we know is false in this age. Paul makes it very clear in the same verse that works like baptism have nothing to do with our salvation and that it's wholly a work of a loving God's kindness (v. 4), mercy (v. 5) and grace (v. 6). 

The "washing of water by the word" (Eph. 5:26) is a figurative way of saying that the word of God applied to our lives removes spots and blemishes (v. 27) from us spiritually like water does our bodies physically. This occurs after our salvation (Eph. 5:25) with a view to preparing us for union with Christ in heaven when he appears (Col. 3:4). Positionally we are prepared to meet him the moment that we're saved (Tit. 3:5), but practically we are not ready to meet him, i.e., without shame, if our lives are defiled and not in subjection to his word, which, if obeyed, would cleanse us. 

These two washings remind us how pure and holy our God is, since he not only washes us positionally when we're saved, but makes that washing practical by giving us his word to cleanse us daily in preparation for our appearance with him in glory, where we will be utterly cleansed, both positionally and practically. Hallelujah!