Practice Humility
Mt 18:1-4 "At that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greater in the kingdom of Heaven?"
And Jesus called a little child to Him and set him in their midst, and said, 'Truly I say to you, Unless you are converted and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven. Therefore whoever shall humble himself like this little child, this one is the greater in the kingdom of Heaven.'"
Mt 23:12 "And whoever shall exalt himself shall be abased, and he who shall humble himself shall be exalted."
Joh 13:4-17 "He rose up from supper and laid aside His garments. And He took a towel and girded Himself. 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.
"Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, 'Lord, do You wash my feet?'
"Jesus answered and said to him, 'You do not know what I do now, but you shall know hereafter.'
"Peter said to Him, 'You shall never wash my feet.'
Jesus answered him, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me."
Simon Peter said to Him,'Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and head.'
Jesus said to him, 'He who is bathed has no need except to wash his feet, but is clean every whit. And you are clean, but not all.' For He knew who would betray Him. Therefore He said, 'You are not all clean.'
So after He had washed their feet and had taken His garments and had reclined again, He said to them, 'Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me the Teacher, and Lord, and you say well, for I AM. If then I, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, A servant is not greater than his master, neither is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.'
If this passage seems a strange inclusion, please recall that foot washing was the most humble job in those days. Bare feet in an era of not toilet facilities, wandering animals and unpaved roads added up to a onerous task. Symbolically, Jesus cleaned away the very worse parts of the day, wiped them temporarily out in their time with Him. Some ministers do this for their flock as a symbol for them even today. It has less meaning d=since we have shoes, but still sends a message of humility.
Jesus also makes two points often missed.
This particular task was only a partial cleaning, something Peter pointed out, was not complete in either man's view. His admonition to wash each other's feet was a call to service which would never be as complete as the one Jesus would bestow. We can relieve the stress and lift each other out of sin to a degree, but we can't claim to save anyone.
Second, he keeps to himself that someone there would betray Him. he gave only partial cleaning because he could not give complete cleaning, even symbolically, to one who only pretended to belong to him, one who kept his own agenda not Christ's.
When we see or hear of apostates and wonder if they can lose their salvation, it's best to recall that Jesus knows who really is accepting him and who walks among his people as a fraud. He never gives them complete cleaning.
Watch What You Say
Mt 6:7 "But when you pray, do not babble vain words, as the nations. For they think that in their much speaking they shall be heard."
Mt 12:36-37 "But I say to you that every idle word, whatever men may speak, they shall give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned."
Don't Commit Real or Mental Adultery
Mt 5:27-28 "You have heard that it was said to the ancients, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that whoever looks on a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
Mt 5:32 "But I say to you that whoever shall put away his wife, except for the cause of fornication, causes her to commit adultery. And whoever shall marry her who is put away commits adultery."
Mt 19:9 "And I say to you, Whoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is put away commits adultery."
Mark 10:11 And He said to them, "Whoever shall put away his wife and marries another commits adultery against her."
Mark 10:19 "You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and your mother."
Luke 16:18 "Everyone putting away his wife and marrying another commits adultery; and everyone marrying her who is put away from her husband commits adultery."
Luke 18:20 "You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and your mother."
Rev 2:22 "Behold, I am throwing her into a bed, and those who commit adultery with her into great affliction, unless they repent of their deeds."
