The Truth in Print Vol. 23 Issue 11, Dec. 2017
A Publication of the Valley church of Christ,
2375 W. 8th Street, Yuma, AZ 85364 (928-782-5058)
Website
Address ~ http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com
How a Lesson on
Humility Became a “Church Ordinance”
Jesus Washed the
Disciples’ Feet
Joh 13:3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all
things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God,
Joh 13:4 rose from supper and laid aside His
garments, took a towel and girded Himself.
Joh 13:5 After that, He poured water into a
basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel
with which He was girded.
Joh 13:6 Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter
said to Him, "Lord, are You washing my
feet?"
Joh 13:7 Jesus answered and said to him,
"What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after
this."
Joh 13:8 Peter said to Him, "You shall
never wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you
have no part with Me."
Joh 13:9 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord,
not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!"
Joh 13:10 Jesus said to him, "He who is
bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean,
but not all of you."
Joh 13:11 For He knew who would betray Him;
therefore He said, "You are not all clean."
Joh 13:12 So when He had washed their feet, taken His
garments, and sat down again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have
done to you?
Joh 13:13 You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you
say well, for so I am.
Joh 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have
washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.
Joh 13:15 For I have given you an example, that
you should do as I have done to you.
Joh 13:16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a
servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he
who sent him.
Joh 13:17 If you know these things, blessed are
you if you do them.
What Simon Did Not Do
When Jesus rebuked the Pharisee who had invited Him to his house, we
read the following in context with His having forgiven the woman who came in
seeking forgiveness who was despised by Simon.
Luk 7:44 Then He turned
to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your
house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has
washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.
Luk 7:45 You gave Me no
kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in.
Luk 7:46 You did not
anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.
Luk 7:47 Therefore I say
to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom
little is forgiven, the same loves little."
What Simon did not do speaks volumes about how he really viewed Jesus
and His teaching. You are not obligated to shake hands with everyone you meet
(2 Jo. 10:11). But even today the omission of greetings and handshakes often
show how one really feels about the Truth when it is preached. You usually
don’t get a friendly greeting after a class or a sermon from one who didn’t
want to hear the correct application. Many times I’ve noticed the best one
could do when leaving after visiting for worship was a smirk, or a stare, and
from one just a guttural “grunt” as he walked past.
Concerning Jesus’
Example
His explanation is given for the Twelve; they were to serve one another.
This is no more a collective work of “local church” than the command in James
1:27 to visit the fatherless and widows and keep oneself unspotted from the
world. James addressed the individual, and we see our topic again in the
qualification of the widow indeed in I Tim. 5 who is well reported of for good works — among which is “if she has lodges
strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet” (I Tim. 5:10). Again, this is
individual duty and not a work of congregation that is connected to acts of worship
or otherwise.
Ellen G. White’s
“Religious Ceremony”
Watch closely now for what is done with foot washing. Anthony A. Hoekema in “The Four Major Cults” on Seventh-day Adventism,
Doctrine of Sacraments: “The Lord’s Supper” (pg. 134) states:
According to the church manual, however, Seventh-day Adventists are to
observe the Lord’s Supper once ever three months (p.
111). This service is announced on the preceding week, at which time the
members of the congregation are urged to prepare their hearts and to make sure
that matters are right with one another (p. 111). An unusual feature of their
Lord’s Supper celebration is that it is always preceded by the ordinance of footwashing. Mrs. White taught that, when Jesus washed His
disciples’ feet prior to His institution of the Lord’s Supper, He was not
simply teaching His disciples a lesson in humility; He was instituting a
religious ceremony (p.115).148 Branson,
in fact, maintains that this ordinance symbolizes the “lesser cleansing” in
distinction from baptism, which is the “great cleansing” – footwashing
thus pictures the forgiveness of sins which have accumulated since baptism.149
The Manual further states that the men and women are separated for this
ordinance, each member washing the feet of the person next to him (pp.
111-12).150
What’s really going on here? Ellen G. White is recognized by their
church as having the spirit of prophecy and to have received many visions or
revelations from God. When the New Testament was revealed and written by
inspiration in the first century the gift of prophecy ceased (I Cor. 13:8-10). There is no such church “ordinance” or
symbolism in foot washing! You get kind of nonsense when others allow one to
claim visions and that they are a prophet — accepting what they say is from
God.
One fundamental anyone must learn in seeking the truth about Christ’s
church is that the process of revelation is complete, and Christ’s Word is left
in the Scriptures of the New Testament until the end of time (2 Tim. 3:16-17;
Jude 3). No man or woman can stand up and say “God spoke to me and told me to
tell you this.” Yes, many are being deceived! Those claiming to “write” by
inspiration after the first century scriptures were completed are liars! The
process of “revelation” through the inspired apostles and prophets of the New
Testament is explained at “The Head and Authority of the Church” at http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com/articles/churchtwo.htm
.
Valley Church of Christ
2375 W. 8th Street, Yuma, AZ 85364
(928) 782-5058 ~
http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com
Sunday Services – Classes ~10:00;
Assembly 10:50 am; Evening: 6:00 pm.
Wednesday evening – 7:00 pm
To learn more call, visit or visit our website at:
http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com