Footwashing Is A Commandment
HEADLINE: "Peter said to him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. If I then your Lord and master have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done," John 13:8,14-15.
From the HEADLINE we see that the natural act of footwashing is a command from God to those who follow Christ. We know Jesus was a "prophet", and we know that prophets do strange "acts" which must be interpreted to discover the hidden meaning. In the heavenly light of the Judgment Hour we do not perform the "natural" allegoric "schoolmaster" act of washing one's feet with a pail of water and a towel on bended knee. Instead we perform the "hidden meaning" of the act, the spiritual real-thing Jesus taught us. We notice that the "handwriting of ordinances" whether spoken by Moses or Jesus the right hand is "nailed to the cross", Psalm 45:1, Galatians 3:24,25, Colossians 2:14-17. We forget about shadows and go to the real objective of the spirit. Here is the interpretation of the "natural" and physical act of "footwashing":
1. What is this earth to God? Isaiah 66:1. A "footstool" is an object of furniture on which to rest one's feet.
2. Who are God's feet? I Corinthians 12:12,15,21-22, II Corinthians 6:16. God's "feet" are special members of the BODY in whom He dwells and in whom He walks. We are writing about people! So people are God's feet.
3. Can these people-feet become dusty, dirty, and smelly? Matthew 10:14, 15:18-20, Isaiah 3:16,24, Exodus 16:4,15-21. People who are defiled by evil thoughts, speaking evil words, and behaving wickedly before God and men are the real "dirty feet" Jesus was revealing in the footwashing act. "Manna" is "angel's food" or words from heaven delivered to men. If it is 2000 years old or more it is possible that it might contain "spiritual worms" and exude a "stinking odor" before God. So foot-men preaching and teaching certain old doctrines and traditions of men under the Old and New Covenants may be stinking feet to God!
4. Since God is a Spirit and the true worshippers do worship Him in spirit form and in truth, and since Jesus' WORD's are spirit and life with a spiritual meaning....what is the spiritual water one needs to wash a human "foot-man"? John 6:63, 7:38. So words that correct, enlighten, and reprove are the spiritual "waters" we must use to remove dust, scum, and stink from human feet.
5. If a man is a foot-soldier in the army of the Lord, what else must be done to him? Song of Solomon 6:4-8, 7:1. All human foot-soldiers to be used by the Virgin armies to carry the spiritual battle MUST wear "shoes"!
6. What is the spiritual definition of "shoes"? Ephesians 6:11,15. So "shoes" means the gospel of peace!
7. What is this "message" of peace? Isaiah 57:16-19, 14:7-16, 52:7. And Jesus is the "Prince of peace", Isaiah 9:6.
CONCLUSION
In the Judgment Hour or under the Heavenly Order, we are to wash feet the way Jesus showed us by use of "spiritual" water-words to remove evil thoughts, evil words in our mouths, and wicked behavior. We also clean up our doctrine by using "fresh" manna less than two days old. We "trim" and decorate our clean "foot-lamps" with the beauties of holiness, Psalm 110:3. We also put "shoes" on them which is the gospel of peace. All foot-soldiers for the Virgin armies must be treated in this manner in order to serve our FAMILY interests! Isaiah 52:7. Footwashing is a commandment!