The Foot Washing Service

[rockytopva]

I went one year of business college in Michigan. The environment was very clean and very nice. While there I fell in with the Freewill Baptist and became a Sunday School teacher. I enjoyed my stay and they gave me a bible and a going away party for my time spent there.

Most the people there were from Kentucky and were countrified in their ways. On one occasion they announced that they were going to have a "foot warshin" one Sunday evening in the month. When the time came, like Peter, the flesh was really in rebellion over the matter and it yearned to scream, "You will never wash my feet." And I really hated the idea of going.

They had regular hymns, a short message by the preacher, communion, and then to the foot washing service. They put water filled basins in the front of the church with plenty of white towels. The flesh was still wanting to find the exit doors until I got into the service. You would basically take the foot out of the water, wipe it with the white towel, and pray for the individual as you did. You would do this to a few good brothers, and then put your own foot in the water and have your feet treated in like manner in return.

The people there really got emotional service and would weep like children during the service.

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. - John 13:10

I must say I left that service with a totally clean spirit on the inside and will never forget the moment. That was the one and only foot washing I have ever been, one that I hated going in, and rejoiced going out.

 

[rockytopva]

Gospel Ordinances – Free Will Baptists believe the Bible teaches three ordinances for the church to practice: Baptism in water by immersion, the Lord’s Supper, to be perpetuated until His return, and the Washing of the Saints’ feet, an ordinance teaching humility.

And the foot washing ordinance is also on their denominational emblem.

 

[tyndale1946]

I went one year of business college in Michigan. The environment was very clean and very nice. While there I fell in with the Freewill Baptist and became a Sunday School teacher. I enjoyed my stay and they gave me a bible and a going away party for my time spent there.

Most the people there were from Kentucky and were countrified in their ways. On one occasion they announced that they were going to have a "foot warshin" one Sunday evening in the month. When the time came, like Peter, the flesh was really in rebellion over the matter and it yearned to scream, "You will never wash my feet." And I really hated the idea of going.

They had regular hymns, a short message by the preacher, communion, and then to the foot washing service. They put water filled basins in the front of the church with plenty of white towels. The flesh was still wanting to find the exit doors until I got into the service. You would basically take the foot out of the water, wipe it with the white towel, and pray for the individual as you did. You would do this to a few good brothers, and then put your own foot in the water and have your feet treated in like manner in return.

The people there really got emotional service and would weep like children during the service.

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. - John 13:10

I must say I left that service with a totally clean spirit on the inside and will never forget the moment. That was the one and only foot washing I have ever been, one that I hated going in, and rejoiced going out.

I was raised in a Old Line Primitive Baptist Church and one thing that stood out to me was foot washing... We are known as foot washing Baptist... You got to feel what we feel and when we are at the feet of our brother washing his feet we are also at the feet of Jesus washing his... This is not a command to wash each others feet but a kind admonition to do as Jesus did to us... Some do most don't, but they miss out on what you personally experienced... We just follow the example he set... I know there is another Old Line Primitive Baptist on this board and if he comes by he can add his comments... Brother Glen

John 13:12 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?

13:13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

13:14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.

13:15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

 

[TCassidy]

Unfortunately, those churches practicing "foot washing" (along with most Evangelical Christians) have little to no understanding of what "foot washing" is all about.

 

[kyredneck]

Unfortunately, those churches practicing "foot washing" (along with most Evangelical Christians) have little to no understanding of what "foot washing" is all about.

So how many feet washings have you participated in? Tell us about it.

 

[TCassidy]

So how many feet washings have you participated in? Tell us about it.

I engage in the metaphorical object of "foot washing" every day. If I didn't you would probably not be on the Baptist Board.

 

[kyredneck]

I engage in the metaphorical object of "foot washing" every day. If I didn't you would probably not be on the Baptist Board.

Point taken.

I was resistant to the notion of literal feet washing until I experienced it., and now I'll never forget it. Communion time with the Old Baptists is something that I wish everyone could experience at least once.

 

[TCassidy]

The foot washing we see in John chapter 13 is referring to what we read about in Exodus chapter 30.

In the Exodus passage the priests were instructed to wash their feet (and hands) prior to their service in the tabernacle. The reason for this was that even though the tabernacle was possibly the most beautiful structure in the world when seen from the inside, the floor was plain dirt.

As the priests ministered in the tabernacle their feet would get dirty so, to maintain their ceremonial cleanliness, they would have to wash their feet.

Jesus was telling the disciples in John 13 that He needed to wash their feet and they needed to wash each other's feet. Peter misunderstood and told Jesus to wash him all over, but Jesus explained he was already clean and just needed to wash the dirt from his feet which he picked up while going about his daily routine.

The overall context is the relationships between the disciples and each one's relationship to the Lord. What Jesus is telling them is that even though He has made them clean, they still pick up some dirt while going about their daily activities and that those daily sins much be dealt with. And Jesus makes a point of asking them if they understood what He was doing and why. They didn't but He assured them they would, in time.

Not only would they have to go to Him every day to have those daily sins forgiven, but they would also have to, on a daily basis, forgive the sins of the other disciples, symbolized by washing each other's feet. This is what Paul was expounding on in Ephesians 4:32 when he said, "And be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you."

So, washing feet has nothing to do with washing feet. It is a metaphorical way of illustrating the need to forgive one another our daily sins even as Christ has already forgiven us.

 

[Yeshua1]

I engage in the metaphorical object of "foot washing" every day. If I didn't you would probably not be on the Baptist Board.

I just saw a Zinger!

 

[Yeshua1]

The foot washing we see in John chapter 13 is referring to what we read about in Exodus chapter 30.

In the Exodus passage the priests were instructed to wash their feet (and hands) prior to their service in the tabernacle. The reason for this was that even though the tabernacle was possibly the most beautiful structure in the world when seen from the inside, the floor was plain dirt.

As the priests ministered in the tabernacle their feet would get dirty so, to maintain their ceremonial cleanliness, they would have to wash their feet.

Jesus was telling the disciples in John 13 that He needed to wash their feet and they needed to wash each other's feet. Peter misunderstood and told Jesus to wash him all over, but Jesus explained he was already clean and just needed to wash the dirt from his feet which he picked up while going about his daily routine.

The overall context is the relationships between the disciples and each one's relationship to the Lord. What Jesus is telling them is that even though He has made them clean, they still pick up some dirt while going about their daily activities and that those daily sins much be dealt with. And Jesus makes a point of asking them if they understood what He was doing and why. They didn't but He assured them they would, in time.

Not only would they have to go to Him every day to have those daily sins forgiven, but they would also have to, on a daily basis, forgive the sins of the other disciples, symbolized by washing each other's feet. This is what Paul was expounding on in Ephesians 4:32 when he said, "And be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you."

So, washing feet has nothing to do with washing feet. It is a metaphorical way of illustrating the need to forgive one another our daily sins even as Christ has already forgiven us.

The blood of jesus on the Cross, and words of the scriptures will ake us free, and we need to stay on communion with Him!

 

[SovereignGrace]

I was raised in the Old Regular Baptists, who had feet washing as an ordinance. Now that I am in the Missionary Baptists, I don't think you can find enough to make it an ordinance.

The only ordinances for the church are the believer's baptism and partaking of the Lord's table.