The Ordinance of Foot Washing

rockytopva

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I attended a Free Will Baptist church while going to college. One evening we had a footwashing / communion service. Having never been to one my flesh fought me all the way to church that night. During the service there was such tears and shouting, wow! They would pray over you as they washed the feet and it was really a dramatic sight. It is really done decent and there is such a clean spiritual sensation afterwards as I cannot describe.

fwblogo8.jpg


See the icon in the lower left of the above image? That is the basin and towel that symbolizes the ordinance of foot washing in the Freewill Baptist church.

I had a girl get on at my workplace with a Freewill Baptist church shirt on. I told her she was the first Freewill Baptist church member I have met since college. She said that she was looking for a good church. I told her there were no churches that observed the ordinance of foot washing here and that the people have became annoyingly arrogant. We both agreed that bringing the ordinance of foot washing to some of these modern day refrigerators would probably do a lot of people good. The humility would be a great asset! :thumbsup:

So... Break out the basins and towels and lets get at it! :clap:
 

squint

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My youngest daughter got married last fall and her and hubby did a foot washing during their WEDDING of all things.

Since I detest the 'cult' she is currently involved (the Acts 29 Network CULT) in I didn't see any great shakes in the demonstration.

But I do have great hopes for her as a MOLE into their system because I know she will come out of it and perhaps more with her.

and yeah, they do foot washings too, along with the SDAers.

But let's not take any closer looks than that.

I also read with great delight recently about one of their higher up mucky mucks who defected and happened to land in a Perfect Place.

It really is happening out there right now on many fronts.

God Works in all things. Hard part is seeing it at the lower orders. But that really is also where 'the action' is as well.

Way down in the DUST. A great place to be.

s
 
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Rev Randy

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I attended a Free Will Baptist church while going to college. One evening we had a footwashing / communion service. Having never been to one my flesh fought me all the way to church that night. During the service there was such tears and shouting, wow! They would pray over you as they washed the feet and it was really a dramatic sight. It is really done decent and there is such a clean spiritual sensation afterwards as I cannot describe.

fwblogo8.jpg


See the icon in the lower left of the above image? That is the basin and towel that symbolizes the ordinance of foot washing in the Freewill Baptist church.

I had a girl get on at my workplace with a Freewill Baptist church shirt on. I told her she was the first Freewill Baptist church member I have met since college. She said that she was looking for a good church. I told her there were no churches that observed the ordinance of foot washing here and that the people have became annoyingly arrogant. We both agreed that bringing the ordinance of foot washing to some of these modern day refrigerators would probably do a lot of people good. The humility would be a great asset! :thumbsup:

So... Break out the basins and towels and lets get at it! :clap:

This is done in Orthodox Churches as well. I've experience foot washing in the Free-will Church as well and have to say I had the same reaction as you.

Feet Washing in Orthodox Liturgy - YouTube
 
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Rev Randy

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I went to a Church that did foot washing.

They were a bunch of wackos.

I don't think today there is a reason for foot washing.

We don't walk long distances in sandals.

Our feet aren't that dirty like they were in N.T. times.
So you think Jesus was telling the Apostles their feet were dirty? It's an exercise in being humble. I've been to several Churches that practice this. Haven't found the wacko one yet.
 
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I'm afraid it would take a googolplex more than "Oooh, it FELT so 'spiritual'" to convince me that a normal First Century practice was instituted as a perpetual "ordinance."

Spiritually speaking, in the time frame we are in ... yes, it is, but the ordinace can be wittled down to a more simple term, our cross.
 
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Rev Randy

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I'm afraid it would take a googolplex more than "Oooh, it FELT so 'spiritual'" to convince me that a normal First Century practice was instituted as a perpetual "ordinance."
No we do not do it because it feels so spiritual. (although it does for many)We do it because Christ taught it. And after the meal as He taught. If this had been for the cleansing of dirty feet it would have been done before the Supper. Christ was teaching by example. He, the Master, lowered himself to be a servant as it was the servant's job to wash the guests feet.
So why do we do it? John chapter 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 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.


We do it because Christ told us to do it. If it's weird, then take it up with Christ.
 
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rockytopva

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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. -John 13



Why did Peter resist? I was because he had no humility.


A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. - Galatians 5:9


The purpose of a foot washing is to cleanse one of all that pride and arrogance. When such is the case there is a spiritually clean feeling that goes along with it. If such arrogance is not cleansed then the foot washing is in vain
 
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Rev Randy

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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. -John 13



Why did Peter resist? I was because he had no humility.


A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. - Galatians 5:9


The purpose of a foot washing is to cleanse one of all that pride and arrogance. When such is the case there is a spiritually clean feeling that goes along with it. If such arrogance is not cleansed then the foot washing is in vain
Yes that is a part of it but not the whole of it. I've learned something else from it as well. After coming to Christ, it was never a hard thing for me to wash the feet of another. Now having someone wash mine is another story. I have no issue with being a servant for Christ. I have an issue with my bishop being my servant. I deal with this only because I know what washing another's feet does for my heart and I don't care to rob my brother of that blessing of being happy. But I fully admit I am much more at ease washing feet than having mine washed. But this isn't supposed to be comfortable. It's supposed to be humbling.
Now some seem to think this is only Free Will Baptist, Orthodox and Roman Catholics doing this. Wrong. Some Lutherans, Anglicans, Methodist, many sects of Baptists, Anabaptist and the list continues. Most seem to do it around the Jewish Passover (the liturgical)and the evangelic a couple times a year. Now those listed fall under some not all in those groups. Just saying in the evangelic world it's not just the FWBaptist. It's quite common. In the Catholic world just about all do this in one manner or another.
 
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NorrinRadd

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I have a problem with the concept of "ordinances" in general. I see the New Covenant as being quite different from the Obsolete Covenant in many ways, not the least being a departure from rituals and symbolism. Accordingly, I have questions about "Communion," more questions about "baptism," and even more about "foot washing."

As occasional practices in the context of teaching sessions about First Century cultures, I'd have no problem with any of them. But "ordinances" are by definition "laws," and as such are contradictory to the heart of the New Covenant.
 
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MoreCoffee

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...I told her there were no churches that observed the ordinance of foot washing here ...

Catholics observe the rite in a limited way; 12 people having their feet washed by the priest at the mass on Holy Thursday (the Thursday before Easter Sunday).

I believe that Seventh Day Adventists practice foot washing. I am not sure how often they observe it.
 
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Rev Randy

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For those that view this practice as a perpetual universal ordinance -- Do you also have ordinances regarding proper hairstyles, as in 1 Cor. 11, 1 Tim. 2, and 1 Pet. 3?
Did Christ command a hairstyle? Did he show us the proper one?
 
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Rev Randy

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Catholics observe the rite in a limited way; 12 people having their feet washed by the priest at the mass on Holy Thursday (the Thursday before Easter Sunday).

I believe that Seventh Day Adventists practice foot washing. I am not sure how often they observe it.

In some Roman Churches in America, the people wash each other's feet as well. In some it's only men and in some only done by clergy to twelve.
Most of the baptists I've seen do this have the men wash the men's feet and the women wash the women's. A lot of them leave the sanctuary to do this.
 
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Rev Randy

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Not sure the objection by some to this practice. Are we so offended by Christ's display of humility and service that we just can't see ourselves following His example? Strange...

Good point but it goes just a bit further. He told them they should do it one to another. He also said they'd be happy if they did do it.
 
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CityOfGod

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In the N.T. times people washed their feet because they were dirty from travel. Things have changed and our feet don't get dirty and need washed. Our feet get washed when we bathe and shower. This is not an ordinance that applies to our modern lives. Christ doesn't expect us to go around washing clean feet just to fulfill an ordinance. That is a work of the flesh. Churches that practice foot washing in these modern times of clean feet are downright weird.
 
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