John 13:12-15 "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?
Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; (ye also ought to wash one another's feet).
(For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you").
2007-09-12
13:28:53
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50 answers
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asked by
don_steele54
6
in
Society & Culture
➔ Religion & Spirituality
I can't believe these answers.I have been to many of these services.It is a very special time.A tremendous blessing, and so many of you are missing out on it.
In the Bible days if someone came to your house it was the custom to wash their feet.If the quest was of little importance a servant would do it.If they were of great importance the master or head of the house would do it.
When I wash my brothers feet I am telling him that I esteem him greater than myself,
Phl 2:3 "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves".
I am my brothers servant because of Christ.
Mat 23:11 "But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant".
These services provide a healing within the church body.Imagine being offended or upset at someone, and here they are nealing down and washing your feet as they pray for you.All your anger becomes ashes and is washed away with the love of the Holy Spirit at that very moment.
2007-09-12
16:24:26 ·
update #1
Would all of you please read Warrior-Bride's answer.
2007-09-12
16:30:15 ·
update #2
WARNING: DO NOT OPEN ANNONYMOUS"S WEBSITE. I did take the liberty to report him. He is an imature child that lacks the manners that God gave a goose.My Grandmother used to say that.Not very often but when she did, you knew who she was talking about.
2007-09-13
01:51:26 ·
update #3
This is actually one of the most precious demonstrations of love and humility that the Lord showed us regarding loving Him and loving one another. When we look at this matter of foot washing, I believe that the meaning of it is very deep. The Lord laid aside his garments, here He is... a full God-Man in their midst, putting aside His rank as God to serve them in His divine humanity.
He girded Himself with Love and humility. Brother Peter, whose foot was washed by the Lord was so impressed by this act of the Lord that we see in 1Pet 5:5 " In Like manner,younger men be subject to elders and all of you gird youself with humility toward one another because God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble"
If we simply take the matter of footwashing in its outward practice without the inward reality of it then we will simply be following God in a legal way. When the Lord did this as a pattern for us He was telling us so much about something that was inward and not just outward.
In the ancient times the Jews wore sandals, and since their roads were dusy, their feet became dirty. If, when they came to a feast,they sat at a table and stretched out their feet, the dirt and the smell would certainly frustrate the fellowship. Hence for the feast to be pleasant they neded the foot washing. The Lord washed His disciples feet to show them that He loved them to the uttermost, and He charged them to do the same to one another in love. ( vss 14,34)
Today dear brother, the world is dirty, and we, the saints are easily contaminated. From a Billboard to people's conversation can bombard us and pollute us as we "walk" this world everyday from environment to environment. To maintain pleasant fellowship with the Lord and with one another, we need the spiritual foot washing. With the Washing Holy Spirit ( Tit 3:5), the washing word ( Eph 5:26 and John 15:3), and the washing Life of God ( John 19:34), carried out by both the Lord in His love for us and by One another in love. This is absolutely necessary in order for us to live in fellowship with God and with one another. Brother John further develops this matter in his epistles.
So day by day brother.. we need to be those coming to the Lord and letting Him have a way to wash us from all the dust...The enjoyment of this fellowship springs up in us a well of living water. I know in my own experience, that when I have enjoyed fellowship with the Lord, that I am so eagar to have fellowship with others. The " extra" water and the " overflow" of the living water in my being is there to just wash my brother and sister's feet.(John 7:38) Some may have had a hard day and with a simple word of encouragement you are able to wash them. They leave your presence feeling washed by the words of life that came out of your being. We are not here to condemn eachother. Our Lord did not boil the water to wash the disciples feet. We are not here to cook eachother:) But we can allow the Lord in us to wash our brothers and sister through us when we meet to fellowship. Be it on the phone or through an email or in person.
So praise the Lord for this recovered truth in the word and this precious practice among the brothers and sisters in Christ.
Your sister
sandy
2007-09-12 16:21:23
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answer #1
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answered by Broken Alabaster Flask 6
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Many churches have special nights when they do that very thing. It's only symbolic.
In Jesus' day, people had to wear sandals and walk many miles, in the ministry. This is why washing the feet was a tradition, just as we are to wash our hands before dinner.
Today, we don't wear sandals and walk hundreds of miles.
The reason Jesus washed the feet of His disciple, was to show him that He is here to serve and to have anything in Him, one must accept His offer. If we don't receive, we can't be in Him.
That's the only reason the story was told and passed down. It was to give us a lesson in what Jesus desires of us.
2007-09-12 13:39:20
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answer #2
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answered by judysbookshop 4
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I was raised a Seventh Day Adventist and they have a foot washing ceremony once per quarter in conjunction with their communion service.
To participate, you must be a baptized member. It should be noted that the men and women separate to perform the foot washing ceremony and each person is given a clean pan and towel. The women and men pair off and after a group prayer, the couples take turns washing and drying each other's feet.
2007-09-12 13:36:00
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answer #3
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answered by Anonymous
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now that is an excellent question. of all the things we as
churches have never done is this. not in any church records
that i'm aware of anyway. nor do i remember it being
done in the 50's either. this is sad because it does deal
with pride. this would be the humbling experience. and
that was the whole purpose in the first place. to humbly
care for someone elses most basic need.
i guess back in YESHUA'S time, ones feet were the
most common mode of transportation. poor feet meant
that ones needs couldn't/wouldn't be met.
back then they didn't have the nike/gucci problem
either. one didn't kill someone for their shoes.
by the way there is an organization for barefoot living.
check them out too. my son is a member. he gets made
fun of all the time for going barefoot. and no it is not
state nor public health law!
cool question. i wish the churches did follow that.
2007-09-12 14:15:40
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answer #4
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answered by Judy E. T 4
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This is awesome. I am so glad when I hear people proclaiming that we should be servants. That's the whole idea. I think we should do this literally in our fellowships to put it into perspective.
It reminds me of the (true) story of the Christian Seminary in the Philippines, where they had a real nasty bathroom that the students wouldn't even use. One student went to the dean of the school and complained. The next day it was clean and remained that way. After a few weeks one student went back to the dorm to get a book they forgot and found out it was the dean that was cleaning the bathroom. That is a Christian!
2007-09-12 17:29:21
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answer #5
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answered by Anonymous
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Not my church. We participate in foot washing. If Christ can wash the feet of his disciples, we are not too good to wash our fellow brother or sister's feet. It is a great form of humility to my opinion.
2007-09-13 01:31:06
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answer #6
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answered by Caleb's Mom 6
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Perhaps many DO perform their 'feet washing' not in the literal form of feet washing' but in servanthood to their fellow man past & present in this life, to God's glory.
2007-09-12 13:36:34
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answer #7
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answered by jefferyspringer57@sbcglobal.net 7
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Yes this principle is very Biblical and should be practiced regardless of the circumstances. We cannot excuse the commandments of God simply because we find it to be an inconvenience to our own lifestyle. The fact is that this sort of behaviour just emphasizes our lack of faith in the one true God-Jesus Christ.
Mark 8:38
Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
The more fully we know the doctrine of Christ, as taught by the apostles, the more closely we shall cleave to it. When we know the afflictions of believers only in part, they tempt us to decline the cause for which they suffer. A form of godliness, a profession of Christian faith without a godly life, often is allowed to pass, while open profession of the truth as it is in Jesus, and resolute attention to the duties of godliness, stir up the scorn and enmity of the world.
As good men, by the grace of God, grow better, so bad men, through the craft of Satan, and the power of their own corruptions, grow worse. The way of sin is down-hill; such go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. Those who deceive others, deceive themselves, as they will find at last, to their cost. The history of the outward church, awfully shows that the apostle spake this as he was moved by the Holy Ghost. (2Ti 3:14-17)
However, men love to gratify their own lusts, more than to please God and do their duty.When men do not fear God, they will not regard man.We abuse God's gifts, if we make them the food and fuel of our lusts.God is to be loved above all; but a carnal mind, full of enmity against him, prefers any thing before him, especially carnal pleasure. Yet though the spirit of error may be let loose for a time, Satan can deceive the nations and the churches no further, and no longer, than God will permit. (2Ti 3:10-13)
2007-09-13 02:05:25
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answer #8
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answered by ? 5
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For one thing, it easily becomes a religious act.
You have to consider the cultural idea of foot washing - to wash someone's feet was humble service. It took no time at all for anyone to pick up dirt, dung and whatever else from the street on their feet. A true servant would get down on his knees with a towel and water and tend to his guests crusty, stinky feet.
Jesus' example was one of humble service, not literal foot washing.
2007-09-12 13:34:24
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answer #9
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answered by TroothBTold 5
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there are a lot of reasons, when in Jesus time, they wore sandals, not shoes, and walked everywhere, on dirt roads. so most people had dirty feet, and it was an act of servitude to wash someones feet.
a lot of people are embarrassed by the appearance of their feet, and are uncomfortable about having their feet washed by someone else.
I personally have found it to be a spiritual and uplifting experience.
when we have had a foot washing, the one doing the washing is being submissive to the one whose feet are being washed.
and we pray for them as we are washing their feet.
2007-09-12 13:45:08
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answer #10
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answered by Hannah's Grandpa 7
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In Jesus' day and culture the only ones who washed feet were the lowly servants. Washing feet is not the key here - it's having a servant's heart.
2007-09-12 13:32:54
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answer #11
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answered by Anonymous
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