Concerning the ordinance of foot washing, neither Christ nor the Apostles commanded that it should be done as a ritual in the assembly of believers. Washing feet should be a practical service rendered in the daily lives of the saints.

Washing feet was a custom in the East, and practiced as early as Abraham's time (Gen. 18:4; 19:2) before the advent of the nation of Israel and continued onward (Judges 19:21). These verses are indicative of the custom of one washing one's own feet. An Old Testament record of the host at least offering to wash the feet of guests is found in 1 Samuel 25:41. Of course, the open sandals and common travel by walking lent itself to refreshment by washing one's own feet or having them washed by someone else.

Jesus, as a guest in the Pharisee's house, reproved the latter, in part, for not giving any water for His feet. Although the host was not hospitable in this regard, there was a woman present who, in true humility and in a spirit of service, washed Jesus' feet with her tears (Lk. 7:44).

Washing the feet of guests was simply an act of hospitality extended by some hosts or their servants. There is no reason from Scripture to believe that any of the twelve Apostles personally washed the feet of guests in their homes. Jesus, in teaching a greater level of humility, said that they ought to wash one another's feet (Jn. 13:14). Jesus expected all His disciples to wash the feet of others, which is simply a manifestation of humility when done in a spirit of service. In fact, that level of humility is required of a widow in order for her name to be placed on the widows' list: "...If she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints' [men's and women's] feet...." (1 Tim. 5:10).

But this service to others is not the same as that seen among some Christian groups today. Feet are washed in a wholesale fashion, the ritual having been planned well in advance, and everyone having already washed their own feet before leaving their homes to participate in the foot-washing ceremony. The intention may be good in desiring to follow the Lord in obedience to His Word, but virtually the entire truth has been missed. The enemy has caused some of God's people to add another ritual like so many rituals of the Roman Church.

The requirement by Jesus (not an "ordinance") for Christians to wash one another's feet is just as needful today, as a demonstration of true humility, as it was during His earthly ministry. But this must be considered within the context of the culture within which one lives. (This is a fine point to consider, and we should in no way let cultural norms dictate how we interpret truth revealed in Scripture. Wisdom from God is needed here as in so many other practical applications of Scripture.) In the West the custom of washing feet as a service to guests is nonexistent. Indeed, as host in your home, if you were to ask a guest to remove his socks and shoes so that you can wash his feet, he likely would be embarrassed, and if the issue was pressed he would be offended.

The custom of washing the saints' feet in the East in the early Christian era was a practical act of hospitality. If we as Christians live in a society in which the washing of feet is a practical need, then the service should be rendered perhaps as often as we have guests in our home. And we should be the ones to wash our guests' feet, not hired servants if we have any.

Jesus' teaching regarding this was based on a practical need. Never should it be construed as an ordinance to be performed as a ritual or ceremony in the assembly of believers as practiced by some Christian groups today. Washing one brother's feet as a ceremony once or twice a year is not at all what Jesus taught. But as with a number of other practices, many well-meaning Christians today are guilty of tokenism. That is, they do things that are merely tokens of obedience to precepts rather than what is really required. Again, washing feet in lands where this is appropriate is just as much for today as it ever was. Even the best of Christendom today has gotten to the point where we think we can please God with our mere tokenism, including washing one or two pairs of feet each year as a ritual instead of rendering a practical service in true humility.

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