I have felt a very heavy burden for the past few months to write on the subject of why we, as Primitive Baptists, practice the washing of the saints feet. I am made to feel very sad at heart when I see good Primitive Baptist people that confess they love the Lord and his Church, yet twice a year when we have communion we find them not at church because they have somewhat of a problem with this practice.Our Articles of Faith read, that we believe that Baptism by immersion, The Lord's Supper, and washing of the saint's feet, are ordinances in the church. In other words this is something that the Lord has ordered us to practice in our communion with him. The question that comes up is: "Is the washing of the saint's feet an ordinance of the church?" I do not think that there would be anyone in the Primitive Baptist Church that would deny that in the communion service of the church, that partaking of the Bread and the Wine is an ordinance; and in 1 Corinthians 11:2, the apostle Paul says: "Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you." So if Baptism is an ordinance and the partaking of the bread and the wine is an ordinance, and is given by the Lord, and the apostle reminds us to keep them as he delivered them unto us, then I suppose that we ought to keep them. Well, where does this leave us on the washing of the saint's feet (Did not the Lord give us the example of this also, and admonish us, to do the same? John 13:13, 14 & 15)?

Do you realize that if the washing of the saint's feet is not an ordinance of the church and the partaking of the bread and the wine is, it would still put us in a position to wash the saints feet because we do this in our communion following the partaking of the bread and the wine. So if we miss church due to reasoning that we do not think it is an ordinance, we are still in trouble because we still did not keep the ordinance of the Lord's supper. So, if the Lord's supper and the washing of the saint's feet took place at the same time, I would have a problem saying that it is not an ordinance. If we are not there to wash feet also, then we are not there for the Lord's supper. Can you not see at least in part of what I am trying to say?

We find in full, in the 13th chapter of the Gospel of John in verse 12 thru 17, "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?" Did you realize that he was asking them a question? "Do you know what I have done to you?"

Do we know what Christ has done in the sense of this text? Our Lord and our Master had just finished washing the disciple's feet. Our Lord was not just a man, he is God manifested in the flesh. He is Holy, undefiled, separate from sinners; he is without sin, yet he humbled himself at the feet of poor sinners and set us an example of what we ought to practice in the church.

He said; "Ye call me master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am." Could we not confess today that he is our Lord and Master? Then he says; "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 to you." When Christ said, ye ought to wash one another’s feet. Do you understand the seriousness of this statement? Ye ought.

The word ought not only carries the thought that you should do it, but rather that you are under obligation to do it. Why? Because he has just set us an example and that he is our Lord and Master. Then he says "Verily, verily, say unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him." Can we not realize that Christ has just said that he was sent by God and that he was not greater than the one that sent him? If Christ was sent to do these things being our Lord and Master, is it such a hard thing for us as a servant to do as he has done unto us? If we say that we will not do these things then we are saying by our actions that we are greater than our Lord Jesus Christ. I would hope that we would never think such a thing.

Then Christ ends this line of thought with; "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." Christ had asked that question, "Do ye know what I have done to you?" If we know what Christ has done to us, then this ordinance is to us. Happy are ye if ye do them. This is the why that we ought to wash one another’s feet. Happy are ye if ye do them. Do you want to be happy in the Lord? Do you want the blessing of the Lord to be upon you? Would you like to have that close walk with your Lord and your Master? Would you like to feel a closer bond with one another in the Church of Jesus Christ?

Would you not like to feel that the Lord spoke to you and said, "Well done thou good and faithful servant." This lesson is about serving one another and being happy in the Lord. The only way that true happiness comes to a child of grace is through your obedience to your Lord and your Master.

It is my desire as a pastor that we could all have that happiness in submitting ourselves to one another, realizing that when we do this, we are submitting ourselves unto the Lord Jesus Christ.