THIS FEETWASHING WAS NOT A MOMENTARY DEMONSTRATION

THIS FEETWASHING WAS NOT A MOMENTARY DEMONSTRATION 

John 13:16-17

"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. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them".

1. This form reaches beyond the immediate moment and demonstrates subjection to Christ (vs. 16). A servant is not greater than his Lord, neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. Christ has already declared that He is Lord and they acknowledge this fact. Shortly He will tell them that He has sent them into the world (John 13:20; 17:18) thus signifying that He is greater than they. His command to ob­serve this form should therefore be carried out, not once but regularly as long as life continues.

2.  The observance of this form demonstrates that they possess a new nature. "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them" (vs. 17). The condition "if you know these things" might better be stated "Since you know these things". They do know them, not necessarily the deeper meaning of them, for that remains to the future. But they do know all the actions that make up this service. Doing them will demon­strate that they possess a new nature. The word happy is the same word translated blessed elsewhere. It means born-again. Christ is saying that a born-again person displays a new nature when he obeys this command of Christ.

3.  The observance of this form is a clear demonstration on the part of a child of God that he needs cleansing in order to fellowship now and in the future (vs. 10). Christ said he needeth to wash his feet. Inasmuch as contact with the world issues in defilement, then there is need for clean­sing to enjoy fellowship with the Lord, with the Brethren, and with the entire church in that gathering at the rapture. Every time he submits his feet into the hands of his brother for washing he acknowledges that the need for cleansing by the Lord.

4.  Above and beyond all this, observance of this form is acknowledgement of hope for the future. He recognizes that Christ is performing a cleansing and sanctifying min­istry now in his behalf that he might be presented as a mem­ber of the bride of Christ not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that he might be holy and without blemish (Eph. 5:26-27). This looks forward to that mighty gathering when all saints shall join in a perfect fellowship.