Bible Questions Answered:
“Why doesn't the church today
practice foot washing?...”
Betty/ Fresno, California U. S. A.
Bible Answer:
Bible Texts:
John 13:1-17 KJV
1 Now before the feast of the
passover, when Jesus knew that His hour was come that He should
depart out of this world unto The Father, having loved His own which
were in the world, He loved them unto the end.
2 And supper being ended, the devil
having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to
betray him;
3 Jesus knowing that The Father had
given all things into His hands, and that He was come from God, and
went to God;
4 He riseth from supper, and laid
aside His garments; and took a towel, and girded Himself.
5 After that He poureth water into a
bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with
the towel wherewith He was girded.
6 Then cometh He to Simon Peter: and
Peter saith unto Him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
7 Jesus answered and said unto him,
What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
8 Peter saith unto Him, Thou shalt
never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast
no part with Me.
9 Simon Peter saith unto Him, Lord,
not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
10 Jesus saith to him, He that is
washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit:
and ye are clean, but not all.
11 For He knew who should betray
Him; therefore said He, Ye are not all clean.
12 So after He had washed their
feet, and had taken His garments, and was set down again, He said
unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and
ye say well; for so I am.
14 If I then, your Lord and Master,
have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
15 For I have given you an example,
that ye should do as I have done to you.
16 Verily, verily, I say unto you,
The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent
greater than he that sent him.
17 If ye know these things, happy
are ye if ye do them.
The Answer to this
question is, some churches do practice foot washing, and some churches do
not.
The churches that
do practice it, take the words of Christ Literally “ For I have
given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.(John
13:15 KJV)”
The churches that
do not, do not because they perceive Christ's message to His
disciples was that of humility in service. And that though humility
is to be found in the life of Christ's followers, foot washing
is not by itself a necessity.
So foot washing, is
left up to the believer. A couple of closing thoughts. Foot washing
is not command to the New Testament church. The book of
Acts, contains no history of foot washing.
Communion and
baptism, are ordinances, commanded by The Lord, but they exist alone.
Humility:
Proverbs 16:19
KJV
Better it is to be of an humble
spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.
Proverbs 22:4
KJV
By humility and the fear of The Lord
are riches, and honor, and life.
Proverbs 29:23
KJV
A man's pride shall bring him low:
but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit.
Isaiah 57:15 KJV
For thus saith The High And Lofty
One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high
and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble
spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart
of the contrite ones.
Micah 6:8 KJV
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is
good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and
to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
Matthew 11:29
KJV
Take My yoke upon you, and learn of
Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto
your souls.
Matthew 18:4 KJV
Whosoever therefore shall humble
himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of
heaven.
Luke 14:10 KJV
But when thou art bidden, go and sit
down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may
say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in
the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.
Romans 12:3 KJV
For I say, through the grace given
unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more
highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God
hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Philippians 2:8
KJV
And being found in fashion as a Man,
He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of
the cross.
James 4:10 KJV
Humble yourselves in the sight of
The Lord, and He shall lift you up.
James 5:16 KJV
Confess your faults one to another,
and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual
fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
I Peter 1:22 NLT
You were cleansed from your sins
when you obeyed The Truth, so now you must show sincere love to each
other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your
heart.
I Peter 5:5 KJV
Likewise, ye younger, submit
yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another,
and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth
grace to the humble.
I John 3:16 KJV
Hereby perceive we the love of God,
because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our
lives for the brethren.
John 13:12-15
KJV
12 So after He had washed their
feet, and had taken His garments, and was set down again, He said
unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
13 Ye call me Master and
Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
14 If I then, your Lord and
Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one
another's feet.
15 For I have given you an example,
that ye should do as I have done to you.
Jesus had given His
disciples an example, if He as Lord and Master had humbled Himself to
wash their feet, the message was clear, they should emulate all
facets of His humility in their lives as well.
Luke 22:24-26
NLT
24 Then they began to argue among
themselves about who would be the greatest among them.
25 Jesus told them, “In this world
the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are
called ‘friends of the people.’
26 But among you it will be
different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the
lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant.
Epilogue:
Though, foot
washing was not an ordinance such as communion or baptism, and not
found in the book of Acts, was there yet any hint of its existence in
the early church?
Yes.
Elderly women to
qualify for help from the church needed to be women who....
I Timothy
5:8-10 KJV
8 But if any provide not for his
own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the
faith, and is worse than an infidel.
9 Let not a widow be taken into the
number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one
man.
10 Well reported of for good
works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers,
if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the
afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.
So foot washing is
at the discretion of all, and yet not so of humility, humility is a
never failing characteristic of The Savior, and is always to be found in
the people of God.
