The Gospel of Holy Friendship: John 15: 12-17

JESUS WASHES FEET OF THE APOSTLES.
Image from blogs.nd.edu

Our inspiration for the Holy Friendship, which we call the Gospel of Holy Friendship, is from John 15: 12-17,

"This is my commandment: love one another, as I have loved you. No one can have greater love than to lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do what I command you. I shall no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know the master's business; I call you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have learnt from my father. You did not choose me, no, I chose you; and I commissioned you to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will last; so that the Father will give you anything you ask him in my name. My command to you is to love one another."

Previously in Chapter 13, verses 13 to 15, 34 to 35, Jesus tells His Apostles:

"If I, then, the Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you must wash each other's feet. I have given you and example so that you may copy what I have done to you. I give you a new commandment: love one another; you must love one another just as I have loved you. It is by your love for one another, that everyone will recognize you as my disciples."

Loving one another is therefore concretely manifested by washing each others' feet. We cannot say we love one another unless we wash each other's feet, that is, we care for one another. Love is not just an ideal or some abstract idea which we could speak of and then write about. Love is also an action word which commands us to give ourselves in service to others and, if necessary, to offer our lives for the sake of others. A Christian who says he or she is in love and yet unwilling to sacrifice for the sake of love is a liar and a fake Christian.

What the Lord Jesus Christ did, the washing of His Apostles feet, is another way of showing how God the Father loved us all by sending His only begotten Son to humble Himself and become like a servant, and in fact He did a servant's role when He washed the Apostles feet, so that everyone who believes in Him should have eternal life [see John 3:16-17]. God didn't have to do it for in Himself He is complete and needs no one to add to His glory. But thanks to the nature of God as a loving Father that He did not allow us to be lost forever. He created us in His image and likeness to be able to experience His love. Why would He let us suffer eternal separation from Him because of sin if He can do something which may seem stupid in accordance with human understanding but truly noble in His standard.

God our God is not a God who requires servitude. He is too loving to expect that from us. He would not have given us freedom at all if that's His only purpose. He could have made us robots. But no. He thought of greater things for us. He wanted to make us His children; He wanted to establish friendship with us. And He wanted us to respond to these privileges in total freedom. We are fully free to reject His offer if we want to. But that would mean missing an eternity of true happiness in union with Him.

Next: THE COMMAND TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER