If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
On the last evening before His death, in the upper chamber at the Passover supper, after laying aside His outer garment as Lord and Master to wash the disciples' feet, Jesus taught that happiness follows acting on what is known. By these things He meant His example of humble, foot-washing service and the lessons of humility in John 13, more broadly the teachings of John 13-17 and the plainly expressed will of God. The happiness He promised belongs not to merely knowing, hearing, speaking or believing the truth in theory, but only to those who do it. To do it is to actually practice foot washing as an ordinance of worship together with the Lord's Supper, and beyond the single act to repeat His example in a whole life of humble, unselfish ministry to one another and to all in need. Whenever it is celebrated as commanded, Christ is present by His Holy Spirit with angels and messengers from the throne, quickening minds, bringing sins to remembrance for confession and forgiveness, sweeping away selfishness and disunion, and molding doers in love, humility, unity and fitness for communion.
Words and Historical Setting
The saying was given on the night of betrayal at the last Passover supper held with the disciples, in the upper chamber on the last evening before death, after Jesus as Lord and Master had washed the disciples' feet. It belongs to that final gathering before the crucifixion, in the last hours before He offered Himself as a sacrifice for the world. It presents foot washing as an example believers ought to follow by washing one another's feet, promising happiness and blessing not from knowing this duty but from doing it.
The disciples came to that supper selfish and heated with strife and contention over who should be greatest, which Satan made a determined effort to stir up. Their whisperings, flushed faces, and self-seeking filled Christ with sorrow, yet in the right frame of mind their knowing would have brought great blessing. Without a word of rebuke He laid aside His outer garment, girded Himself with a towel as a servant, and washed their feet. That doing opened their eyes, filled them with astonishment, bitter shame and humiliation, showed them themselves in a new light, and gave a lesson in humility and loving service to be remembered as long as life lasted, calling followers to copy His example and become less inclined to honor or exalt themselves as character grows more like His.
These things are Christ's example of humble foot-washing service and His lesson of humility in John 13, calling followers to humility, obedience, and humbly serving and blessing one another as Christ served the disciples. The lesson extends beyond the outward act to a whole life of humble, faithful ministry. More broadly they are the teachings in John 13-17 to be believed and lived out before fellow ministers, and God's will plainly expressed in John 13 to be lived out in practical life, bringing unity with one another and with Christ, strength against the enemy, and readiness to stand the test.
Even the betrayer was included, for Christ humbly washed Judas's feet with the others and gave him a tender final appeal of love. Judas did not respond to that love but rejected it and went out to betray Him. The account thus contrasts merely receiving the lesson with acting on it, showing that happiness belongs to those who put into practice what they know, which Judas did not follow and therefore did not receive. His faults did not stop Christ from serving him, and while all but Judas were brought to repentance, Judas stands as the one who knew yet did not do.
Knowing Requires Doing
Happiness does not belong to knowing Christ's lessons alone but to doing them, for knowledge is only part of duty and eternal interests require action. The lesson to be put into practice is Christ's example of humble foot-washing service, which calls for humility, obedience, and serving and blessing one another, and this extends beyond the outward act to a whole life of humble, faithful ministry to be studied and lived out before others. No servant is greater than the Lord who serves, so knowing His teaching and His example is not enough.
Doing means conforming the human will to the will of God. That will is revealed in Scripture and is not to be ignored, and believers are to follow Christ rather than submit to humanly devised authority. Obedience to known truth is a source of consolation and joy, not a yoke of bondage.
Truth brought before the mind must be comprehended, received, confessed, and obeyed. Actions are the index of character, as a tree is valued by the fruit it bears, and deeds rather than words are the test of sincerity. Words, belief in theory, and profession of faith have no value unless accompanied by appropriate deeds, and the talent of speech becomes effective and valuable only when joined with fitting actions. Christ measures people more by what they do for others than by what they say, and those who see truth and yield themselves body, soul, and spirit to God will act out their belief in service, which is of vital consequence to every soul. Such doing means keeping God's commandments, doing the will of the Father in heaven, and revealing Christ in works of righteousness as the genuine evidence of conversion by which all will be judged.
The blessing is promised only to doers, not to those who only know, hear, speak, preach, or believe in theory. Knowing that Christ as Master and Lord washed feet to give an example must lead to the same humble service, and the doing must not be mechanical or a mere form. Happiness and entrance into heaven depend on practical Christianity: wearing Christ's yoke, learning His meekness and lowliness, disciplining and denying self, lifting the cross, controlling temper and feelings, putting away evil thinking, evil speaking, hasty words and cruel thoughts, keeping words sweet and pure, and loving as brethren. Those who truly love God do the things that please Him, in contrast to those who receive great privileges and claim to be Abraham's children yet become self-exalted and refuse Abraham's works.
Foot-Washing Ordinance Practice
Christ gave foot washing as an ordinance and duty for His disciples and for all believers to actually practice in church worship, and it belongs with the supper to be celebrated together with the Lord's Supper as part of the church ordinances. It is a religious service preceding the emblems of His death, not merely hospitality toward travelers, and it tests loyalty, humility and faithfulness. Knowing brings blessing only through doing what He did, which means learning humility, engaging in self-examination to know the true feelings of the heart toward God and one another, letting pride, selfishness and hatred be discovered through the humble duty, making mutual confessions, increasing forbearance and forgiveness of one another's errors, and growing in true love in preparation for commemorating His sufferings and death even to the point of loving one another as He loved. It was observed together with the Lord's Supper as part of practical godliness.
The ordinance is for the largest number of believers to engage in together, and it is to be practiced more frequently and followed as exactly as possible. Men are to wash men's feet and women women's feet, with men and women taking part separately after leaders first show the way, even where the practice has never been done before. It must be done understandingly and not as a tedious ceremony or mechanical mere form, because its real object is to teach humility. When so done it makes a very impressive, solemn, profitable and memorable meeting that settles believers into the work of revival, marked by humbling before God with weeping and rejoicing together and by fitting teaching at the breaking of bread that deeply moves those present.
Gospel order provides for sisters to wash brethren's feet, as Mary washed Jesus' feet with tears and wiped them with her hair, but gives no example for brethren to wash sisters' feet. Washing between men and women was practiced at first but was not the right thing to do, and a man has no business washing a woman's feet. Where people are uninformed or prejudiced against this plain duty through former teachers and unwise practice, it is to be introduced with carefulness and wisdom at a proper time and manner.
Believers must withdraw alone by themselves, separate entirely from unbelievers and the wicked, because their presence pollutes the atmosphere and doing the washing of saints' feet and the communion before them only brings reproach and dishonor on the cause. Done rightly, the feet are first washed and then the broken bread is given to represent His broken body and the juice of the vine is given to represent His spilled blood. Shepherds must be careful and move understandingly in these things, and even when done privately a Judas may from time to time appear to be with believers and eat and drink to his own damnation, but God will quickly make him manifest and he will be purged out.
No one is to defer the ordinance because some are considered unworthy, nor refuse to attend because of who else is present, nor decide who shall present themselves. Human beings cannot tell who is worthy and who is not and cannot read the secrets of the soul. Christ washed the feet of Judas and did not refuse him a place at the table although He knew he would leave to betray Him, showing that those who take part should not be excluded on the basis of human judgments about their hearts, while unseen heavenly and evil witnesses are present at the service.
Doing is not only the single outward act of cleansing but the whole scene and its intent. Christ, though infinitely superior and rightly called Master and Lord, humbly washed His disciples' feet, even the betrayer's, and His humility did not lessen His dignity. His followers are not above their Lord and are not greater than the Lord who serves, so they are to repeat His example in unselfish ministry and in a whole life of humble, faithful ministry in their intercourse with each other, pledging to serve one another and to minister to all in need, which kindles love, helps and blesses each other, brings into holy relationship, and helps understand His teaching.
Blessings Promised to Doers
The happiness promised is tied to actually celebrating the ordinance as commanded, for then Christ is present by His Holy Spirit as witness to impress hearts, God is sacredly near, angels watch, messengers from the throne are present, and the atmosphere of heaven surrounds with holy solemnity and solemn awareness of His presence. This doing is the humble service of washing one another's feet given to recover man from sin, and it brings blessing and holy solemnity with the felt presence of the Lord rather than mere knowledge of duty. The words were spoken by the Lord of life and glory and are to be brought to remembrance on every such occasion.
The Holy Spirit uses the ceremony to quicken sensibilities, turn thoughts into spiritual channels, convict hearts, energize the mind, bring committed sins to remembrance with new distinctness for confession and forgiveness, break up the fountains of the soul, sweep away selfishness, and break down every barrier of disunion and alienation. The promise of happiness in doing is clothed with new power as believers behold the suffering by which reconciliation with God was obtained. As at the first celebration all were convicted except Judas, so now all who submit will be convicted.
Doing calls for close examination of the heart and self-examination to know the true feelings of the heart toward God and one another, with conviction of sin, revived memory and penitential offering under Christ's presence. Pride, selfishness, hatred, bitterness, strife, unfair dealings and wrong are discovered through the humble duty and washed away by repentance, confession, mutual confession, increased forbearance, forgiveness of one another's errors and humiliation of soul before God. This fosters repentance, true love, unity and oneness with Christ, clearing away selfishness and bitterness and drawing believers together in love as they love one another as He loved them even to death. Participants are to put away bitterness, strife and unfair dealings, love their brethren, and serve one another rather than seek the highest place.
The ceremony educates and molds character to have the same love for one another that Christ showed, teaching that brother is not to exalt himself above brother. It tests humility, faithfulness and loyalty, keeps God's people humble and separate from the world and from backsliding, guards the health and holy activity of the soul against disunion and strife, and keeps fresh in remembrance that redemption is received upon conditions of humility and continual obedience. The doing must not be mechanical or a mere form or tedious ceremony, because the real object is humility, and it is to be done understandingly. His life as light from above guides every soul who comes to Him into all truth as an unfolding of His love and a revelation of the character of God.
Doing prepares for partaking of communion in remembrance of Christ's sufferings for sin, melting the heart with gratitude and love for the dear price paid to ransom sinners from the power of Satan and hopeless misery. It moves to earnest prayer to run in the way of God's commandments, travel the whole Christian road, lay off the armor at the Redeemer's feet, and stand on Mount Zion. It speaks to the heart more than to the intellect, disentangles from ancient Jewish rites and ceremonies whose virtue ended when type met antitype in Christ as the only efficacious offering, and calls to receive His Word and daily partake of Him as the bread of life to satisfy soul-hunger, not merely eat His body and drink His blood at the sacramental service. Humble confession followed by washing and supper brings gratification, revival and a memorable, solemn, profitable meeting, marked at times by humbling before God with weeping and rejoicing together and by fitting teaching that deeply moves those present, making a very impressive meeting that settles believers into the work when God is waiting to be gracious and ready to bless His people in revival.
The one who humbles himself in such service has the Spirit of Christ, stands in Christ's place, enters close relationship with the Lord who is present on the occasion to impress hearts, and is placed where the Lord can safely honor him.
Wider Christian Application
Those who bear Christ's name are to recognize that He suffered and died for their sins and to do His will openly before fellow ministers and others. Happiness comes from doing the truths one knows, for God's will is to be believed and lived out before fellow ministers. Christ's instruction brings happiness when put into practice, and the teachings of John 13-17 are to be studied and lived before others. Living out Christ's prayer brings unity with one another and with Christ, strength against the enemy, and readiness to stand the test, for John 13 plainly expresses God's will for His people in practical life.
Doing is practical Christianity learned from Christ's meekness and lowliness. It means wearing His yoke, disciplining self, denying self, lifting the cross, controlling temper and feelings, putting away forever evil thinking, evil speaking, hasty words, and cruel thoughts and feelings, keeping words sweet and pure, and loving as brethren. Happiness and entrance into heaven depend on doing known truth, not merely knowing, hearing, or preaching the gospel. Words, theoretical belief, and profession have no value unless joined with fitting deeds, for deeds test sincerity and reveal character as fruit reveals a tree. Keeping God's commandments, doing the will of the Father in heaven, and revealing Christ in works of righteousness is the genuine evidence of conversion, and by deeds all will be judged, a matter of vital consequence to every soul.
Following Christ's example with His disciples means patient, loving treatment even of those who are faulty, erring, or false-hearted. Though Judas was counted among the apostles, Jesus patiently bore with him, even washing his feet knowing he would betray Him. Christians are therefore to bear patiently with false brethren rather than become disheartened by them, and not to separate from the erring and leave them exposed to temptation but to treat them with patience and mercy. The disciples' faults did not stop Christ from serving them, and His service brought all but Judas to repentance. Doing requires laying aside selfishness and disputes over who should be greatest, feeling shame for self-seeking, and rejecting desire for higher place. Keeping the words means becoming humble, pure, and consecrated in thought, spirit, and conduct, yielding the heart to Christ for humble loving service and good work for brethren instead of scheming, faultfinding, and criticizing. Where pride, self-sufficiency, contention, and strife remain, the words have been little regarded, for the Holy Spirit uses the ceremony to impress hearts and sweep away selfishness.
Keeping the words requires putting away the defilement of unkind talk, gossip, passing judgment, and self-assured conversation that hurts souls and spoils God's work. To continue in such talk is to handle strange fire and to leave His words unheeded. Until the Holy Spirit cleanses the lips and removes that defilement, counsels do harm and become a savor of death rather than a savor of life. Doing means loving one another as Christ loved even to death. At every celebration each one is to ask whether anything stands between self and a brother that keeps from loving him as Christ loved, putting away bitterness, strife, unfair dealings, supremacy, and self-complacency that would put a poor brother in a lowly place. Close examination of the heart, discovery of pride, selfishness, and hatred through the humble duty, mutual confession, forbearance, forgiveness of one another's errors, and true love prepare for commemorating Christ's sufferings and death and keep fresh the remembrance that redemption comes on conditions of humility and continual obedience.
On the last evening before His death, in the upper chamber at the Passover supper, after laying aside His outer garment as Lord and Master to wash the disciples' feet, Jesus taught that happiness follows acting on what is known. By these things He meant His example of humble, foot-washing service and the lessons of humility in John 13, more broadly the teachings of John 13-17 and the plainly expressed will of God. The happiness He promised belongs not to merely knowing, hearing, speaking or believing the truth in theory, but only to those who do it. To do it is to actually practice foot washing as an ordinance of worship together with the Lord's Supper, and beyond the single act to repeat His example in a whole life of humble, unselfish ministry to one another and to all in need. Whenever it is celebrated as commanded, Christ is present by His Holy Spirit with angels and messengers from the throne, quickening minds, bringing sins to remembrance for confession and forgiveness, sweeping away selfishness and disunion, and molding doers in love, humility, unity and fitness for communion.
Words and Historical Setting
The saying was given on the night of betrayal at the last Passover supper held with the disciples, in the upper chamber on the last evening before death, after Jesus as Lord and Master had washed the disciples' feet. It belongs to that final gathering before the crucifixion, in the last hours before He offered Himself as a sacrifice for the world. It presents foot washing as an example believers ought to follow by washing one another's feet, promising happiness and blessing not from knowing this duty but from doing it.
The disciples came to that supper selfish and heated with strife and contention over who should be greatest, which Satan made a determined effort to stir up. Their whisperings, flushed faces, and self-seeking filled Christ with sorrow, yet in the right frame of mind their knowing would have brought great blessing. Without a word of rebuke He laid aside His outer garment, girded Himself with a towel as a servant, and washed their feet. That doing opened their eyes, filled them with astonishment, bitter shame and humiliation, showed them themselves in a new light, and gave a lesson in humility and loving service to be remembered as long as life lasted, calling followers to copy His example and become less inclined to honor or exalt themselves as character grows more like His.
These things are Christ's example of humble foot-washing service and His lesson of humility in John 13, calling followers to humility, obedience, and humbly serving and blessing one another as Christ served the disciples. The lesson extends beyond the outward act to a whole life of humble, faithful ministry. More broadly they are the teachings in John 13-17 to be believed and lived out before fellow ministers, and God's will plainly expressed in John 13 to be lived out in practical life, bringing unity with one another and with Christ, strength against the enemy, and readiness to stand the test.
Even the betrayer was included, for Christ humbly washed Judas's feet with the others and gave him a tender final appeal of love. Judas did not respond to that love but rejected it and went out to betray Him. The account thus contrasts merely receiving the lesson with acting on it, showing that happiness belongs to those who put into practice what they know, which Judas did not follow and therefore did not receive. His faults did not stop Christ from serving him, and while all but Judas were brought to repentance, Judas stands as the one who knew yet did not do.
Knowing Requires Doing
Happiness does not belong to knowing Christ's lessons alone but to doing them, for knowledge is only part of duty and eternal interests require action. The lesson to be put into practice is Christ's example of humble foot-washing service, which calls for humility, obedience, and serving and blessing one another, and this extends beyond the outward act to a whole life of humble, faithful ministry to be studied and lived out before others. No servant is greater than the Lord who serves, so knowing His teaching and His example is not enough.
Doing means conforming the human will to the will of God. That will is revealed in Scripture and is not to be ignored, and believers are to follow Christ rather than submit to humanly devised authority. Obedience to known truth is a source of consolation and joy, not a yoke of bondage.
Truth brought before the mind must be comprehended, received, confessed, and obeyed. Actions are the index of character, as a tree is valued by the fruit it bears, and deeds rather than words are the test of sincerity. Words, belief in theory, and profession of faith have no value unless accompanied by appropriate deeds, and the talent of speech becomes effective and valuable only when joined with fitting actions. Christ measures people more by what they do for others than by what they say, and those who see truth and yield themselves body, soul, and spirit to God will act out their belief in service, which is of vital consequence to every soul. Such doing means keeping God's commandments, doing the will of the Father in heaven, and revealing Christ in works of righteousness as the genuine evidence of conversion by which all will be judged.
The blessing is promised only to doers, not to those who only know, hear, speak, preach, or believe in theory. Knowing that Christ as Master and Lord washed feet to give an example must lead to the same humble service, and the doing must not be mechanical or a mere form. Happiness and entrance into heaven depend on practical Christianity: wearing Christ's yoke, learning His meekness and lowliness, disciplining and denying self, lifting the cross, controlling temper and feelings, putting away evil thinking, evil speaking, hasty words and cruel thoughts, keeping words sweet and pure, and loving as brethren. Those who truly love God do the things that please Him, in contrast to those who receive great privileges and claim to be Abraham's children yet become self-exalted and refuse Abraham's works.
Foot-Washing Ordinance Practice
Christ gave foot washing as an ordinance and duty for His disciples and for all believers to actually practice in church worship, and it belongs with the supper to be celebrated together with the Lord's Supper as part of the church ordinances. It is a religious service preceding the emblems of His death, not merely hospitality toward travelers, and it tests loyalty, humility and faithfulness. Knowing brings blessing only through doing what He did, which means learning humility, engaging in self-examination to know the true feelings of the heart toward God and one another, letting pride, selfishness and hatred be discovered through the humble duty, making mutual confessions, increasing forbearance and forgiveness of one another's errors, and growing in true love in preparation for commemorating His sufferings and death even to the point of loving one another as He loved. It was observed together with the Lord's Supper as part of practical godliness.
The ordinance is for the largest number of believers to engage in together, and it is to be practiced more frequently and followed as exactly as possible. Men are to wash men's feet and women women's feet, with men and women taking part separately after leaders first show the way, even where the practice has never been done before. It must be done understandingly and not as a tedious ceremony or mechanical mere form, because its real object is to teach humility. When so done it makes a very impressive, solemn, profitable and memorable meeting that settles believers into the work of revival, marked by humbling before God with weeping and rejoicing together and by fitting teaching at the breaking of bread that deeply moves those present.
Gospel order provides for sisters to wash brethren's feet, as Mary washed Jesus' feet with tears and wiped them with her hair, but gives no example for brethren to wash sisters' feet. Washing between men and women was practiced at first but was not the right thing to do, and a man has no business washing a woman's feet. Where people are uninformed or prejudiced against this plain duty through former teachers and unwise practice, it is to be introduced with carefulness and wisdom at a proper time and manner.
Believers must withdraw alone by themselves, separate entirely from unbelievers and the wicked, because their presence pollutes the atmosphere and doing the washing of saints' feet and the communion before them only brings reproach and dishonor on the cause. Done rightly, the feet are first washed and then the broken bread is given to represent His broken body and the juice of the vine is given to represent His spilled blood. Shepherds must be careful and move understandingly in these things, and even when done privately a Judas may from time to time appear to be with believers and eat and drink to his own damnation, but God will quickly make him manifest and he will be purged out.
No one is to defer the ordinance because some are considered unworthy, nor refuse to attend because of who else is present, nor decide who shall present themselves. Human beings cannot tell who is worthy and who is not and cannot read the secrets of the soul. Christ washed the feet of Judas and did not refuse him a place at the table although He knew he would leave to betray Him, showing that those who take part should not be excluded on the basis of human judgments about their hearts, while unseen heavenly and evil witnesses are present at the service.
Doing is not only the single outward act of cleansing but the whole scene and its intent. Christ, though infinitely superior and rightly called Master and Lord, humbly washed His disciples' feet, even the betrayer's, and His humility did not lessen His dignity. His followers are not above their Lord and are not greater than the Lord who serves, so they are to repeat His example in unselfish ministry and in a whole life of humble, faithful ministry in their intercourse with each other, pledging to serve one another and to minister to all in need, which kindles love, helps and blesses each other, brings into holy relationship, and helps understand His teaching.
Blessings Promised to Doers
The happiness promised is tied to actually celebrating the ordinance as commanded, for then Christ is present by His Holy Spirit as witness to impress hearts, God is sacredly near, angels watch, messengers from the throne are present, and the atmosphere of heaven surrounds with holy solemnity and solemn awareness of His presence. This doing is the humble service of washing one another's feet given to recover man from sin, and it brings blessing and holy solemnity with the felt presence of the Lord rather than mere knowledge of duty. The words were spoken by the Lord of life and glory and are to be brought to remembrance on every such occasion.
The Holy Spirit uses the ceremony to quicken sensibilities, turn thoughts into spiritual channels, convict hearts, energize the mind, bring committed sins to remembrance with new distinctness for confession and forgiveness, break up the fountains of the soul, sweep away selfishness, and break down every barrier of disunion and alienation. The promise of happiness in doing is clothed with new power as believers behold the suffering by which reconciliation with God was obtained. As at the first celebration all were convicted except Judas, so now all who submit will be convicted.
Doing calls for close examination of the heart and self-examination to know the true feelings of the heart toward God and one another, with conviction of sin, revived memory and penitential offering under Christ's presence. Pride, selfishness, hatred, bitterness, strife, unfair dealings and wrong are discovered through the humble duty and washed away by repentance, confession, mutual confession, increased forbearance, forgiveness of one another's errors and humiliation of soul before God. This fosters repentance, true love, unity and oneness with Christ, clearing away selfishness and bitterness and drawing believers together in love as they love one another as He loved them even to death. Participants are to put away bitterness, strife and unfair dealings, love their brethren, and serve one another rather than seek the highest place.
The ceremony educates and molds character to have the same love for one another that Christ showed, teaching that brother is not to exalt himself above brother. It tests humility, faithfulness and loyalty, keeps God's people humble and separate from the world and from backsliding, guards the health and holy activity of the soul against disunion and strife, and keeps fresh in remembrance that redemption is received upon conditions of humility and continual obedience. The doing must not be mechanical or a mere form or tedious ceremony, because the real object is humility, and it is to be done understandingly. His life as light from above guides every soul who comes to Him into all truth as an unfolding of His love and a revelation of the character of God.
Doing prepares for partaking of communion in remembrance of Christ's sufferings for sin, melting the heart with gratitude and love for the dear price paid to ransom sinners from the power of Satan and hopeless misery. It moves to earnest prayer to run in the way of God's commandments, travel the whole Christian road, lay off the armor at the Redeemer's feet, and stand on Mount Zion. It speaks to the heart more than to the intellect, disentangles from ancient Jewish rites and ceremonies whose virtue ended when type met antitype in Christ as the only efficacious offering, and calls to receive His Word and daily partake of Him as the bread of life to satisfy soul-hunger, not merely eat His body and drink His blood at the sacramental service. Humble confession followed by washing and supper brings gratification, revival and a memorable, solemn, profitable meeting, marked at times by humbling before God with weeping and rejoicing together and by fitting teaching that deeply moves those present, making a very impressive meeting that settles believers into the work when God is waiting to be gracious and ready to bless His people in revival.
The one who humbles himself in such service has the Spirit of Christ, stands in Christ's place, enters close relationship with the Lord who is present on the occasion to impress hearts, and is placed where the Lord can safely honor him.
Wider Christian Application
Those who bear Christ's name are to recognize that He suffered and died for their sins and to do His will openly before fellow ministers and others. Happiness comes from doing the truths one knows, for God's will is to be believed and lived out before fellow ministers. Christ's instruction brings happiness when put into practice, and the teachings of John 13-17 are to be studied and lived before others. Living out Christ's prayer brings unity with one another and with Christ, strength against the enemy, and readiness to stand the test, for John 13 plainly expresses God's will for His people in practical life.
Doing is practical Christianity learned from Christ's meekness and lowliness. It means wearing His yoke, disciplining self, denying self, lifting the cross, controlling temper and feelings, putting away forever evil thinking, evil speaking, hasty words, and cruel thoughts and feelings, keeping words sweet and pure, and loving as brethren. Happiness and entrance into heaven depend on doing known truth, not merely knowing, hearing, or preaching the gospel. Words, theoretical belief, and profession have no value unless joined with fitting deeds, for deeds test sincerity and reveal character as fruit reveals a tree. Keeping God's commandments, doing the will of the Father in heaven, and revealing Christ in works of righteousness is the genuine evidence of conversion, and by deeds all will be judged, a matter of vital consequence to every soul.
Following Christ's example with His disciples means patient, loving treatment even of those who are faulty, erring, or false-hearted. Though Judas was counted among the apostles, Jesus patiently bore with him, even washing his feet knowing he would betray Him. Christians are therefore to bear patiently with false brethren rather than become disheartened by them, and not to separate from the erring and leave them exposed to temptation but to treat them with patience and mercy. The disciples' faults did not stop Christ from serving them, and His service brought all but Judas to repentance. Doing requires laying aside selfishness and disputes over who should be greatest, feeling shame for self-seeking, and rejecting desire for higher place. Keeping the words means becoming humble, pure, and consecrated in thought, spirit, and conduct, yielding the heart to Christ for humble loving service and good work for brethren instead of scheming, faultfinding, and criticizing. Where pride, self-sufficiency, contention, and strife remain, the words have been little regarded, for the Holy Spirit uses the ceremony to impress hearts and sweep away selfishness.
Keeping the words requires putting away the defilement of unkind talk, gossip, passing judgment, and self-assured conversation that hurts souls and spoils God's work. To continue in such talk is to handle strange fire and to leave His words unheeded. Until the Holy Spirit cleanses the lips and removes that defilement, counsels do harm and become a savor of death rather than a savor of life. Doing means loving one another as Christ loved even to death. At every celebration each one is to ask whether anything stands between self and a brother that keeps from loving him as Christ loved, putting away bitterness, strife, unfair dealings, supremacy, and self-complacency that would put a poor brother in a lowly place. Close examination of the heart, discovery of pride, selfishness, and hatred through the humble duty, mutual confession, forbearance, forgiveness of one another's errors, and true love prepare for commemorating Christ's sufferings and death and keep fresh the remembrance that redemption comes on conditions of humility and continual obedience.