WWJD

 

Since the late 1880s, “What Would Jesus Do?” has been a slogan, a fad, a watchword or a political rallying cry. The original writer, Charles Sheldon, meant it literally. Today it has devolved into a “higher moral ground” claim by people who use it to justify their own position on anything, even actions directly against Scripture.

 If we wanted to do what Jesus would do, we would start with an absolute and unwavering belief in and agreement with God’s Word, from beginning to end. This belief would inform all our understandings and all our actions. Only the Old Testament Scriptures had been written when Jesus lived, and He wrote them. He quoted the Scriptures hundreds of times, exactly as he meant them the first time. When He said, “but I say unto you,” he was not throwing out the Scriptures; he was explaining them and usually tightening the requirements a bit! He was not some sort of second God, a bit rebellious to the original God; he told us directly that He is God.

 Jesus believed in the creation of the world, the way it is presented in Genesis. (The Word tells us He is the One who did the creating.) He believed the worldwide flood, the promises to Abraham and the miracles of the Exodus. He believed the promises of God to Israel (especially the prophecies regarding Himself!) and the warnings of God to disobedient ones. He acknowledged that sin is what God said is sin. And he affirmed God’s loving offer of forgiveness as available to all.

 I’ve always appreciated Dr. Euler’s oft-repeated statement, “The Word of God is always truer than Steve Euler’s presentation of it.” We don’t seem to be able even to quote God’s Word without putting a bit of our own slant on it. Even Satan used God’s own words to tempt and argue with the Son of God! And Jesus answered him with God’s own words.

·      Many Christians today are following Satan’s lead in cherry-picking, misusing or twisting the words of the Bible with their own brand of “logic,” in order to bolster a position on sin, salvation or politics which is directly against the words of the Bible.

 Some parts of Scripture may be difficult for us to understand, but there is enough which is easy to understand to keep us busy for the rest of our lives! Back in June, Pam wrote a marvelous article tying together obedience, trust and faith. God requires not our understanding, but our obedience. Our obedience requires us to trust Him, and trusting Him grows our faith. We need to trust that His Word says what He meant and we need to obey His Word because He is the Almighty God, even when we would rather not. That is What Jesus Would Do.

--Lynda Shenefield