THIS FEETWASHING FORM WAS NOT A MERE ACT OF HUMILITY

THIS FEETWASHING FORM WAS NOT A MERE ACT OF HUMILITY

John 13:8

 

 

"Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me."

 

1. Since the general explanation given to this form by Brethren in days past, and by many other denominational groups, it needs to be emphasized that humility does not explain essentially, not in full, what Christ was doing. This does not mean that humility was not implicit in this performance.

But it does mean that humility does not strike at the heart of this form. At the outset Peter felt that this was mere humility on the part of Christ, and he was chagrined. He had come to hold Christ in such high esteem he could not bear to have Christ stoop and perform such a menial action upon him. So just like Peter, he expressed just how he felt. The English translation falls far short of what Peter really said. The original says: "Never shall you wash my feet into the age"

You can see with what tremendous emphasis he expressed himself. It was like saying - Never, Forever!

2.   The reply of the Lord Jesus was with equal emphasis, and with information that utterly excludes humility as the basic meaning of this form. "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me". That sounds very much as though this washing is something that is absolutely essential to relationship with Christ. That could mean salvation in the ultimate sense. The One Who has all things placed into His hands (vs. 3) as well as He Who has all authority in heaven and earth (Matt. 28:18) is seen hereby to be the Lord and Master of this ones life. Participation with Christ is the whole meaning of salvation. A mere custom, or a mere act of humility, could not possibly explain the importance of this action Christ is performing on the disciples.

3.   Being shut out of participation with Christ is what sin does. It not only cuts one off from Christ now. But it will do that for all eternity. Because men are sinners there are two washings they must experience if they are to have a part with Christ. They must be washed in the blood of Christ which covers the penalty of sin (1 John 1:7) and issues in justification. This was performed once and for all at the cross of Calvary and becomes effective in the believer at the moment he places his faith in Christ. He is justified from all things (Acts 13:39). This is the wash­ing of regeneration which issues in the renewing of the Holy Ghost (Titus 3:5).

4.   But there is another washing that is absolutely es­sential to full participation with Christ. It is that wash­ing of water in the word which keeps a man saved. That wash­ing progressively sets the believer aside from sin in his daily life and gradually fashions him into the likeness of Christ (Eph. 5:2 6). As the believer follows the word. of God Christ uses the water of the word to cleanse him from the defilements of sin in his daily walk. No believer can continually walk in sin, for such conduct will end in final separation from Christ. So Christ has made provision for setting the believer aside from sin in order to bring him to full perfection at His coming. He does this in His High Priestly ministry through the washing of water in the word. That is what this feet washing service is intended to sym­bolize. Progressive sanctification is being symbolized by the washing of the feet.