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WWJD
By Grant Phillips
“In His Steps: What
Would Jesus Do”,
written by Charles
Monroe Sheldon and
first published in
1897 (ISBN
0-8007-8608-4) has
had a profound
affect on many
Christians. The
acronym “WWJD” is
still seen on many
Christian materials.
No doubt, it has had
a positive impact on
many Christians.
Since this book was
written 114 years
ago, could it still
be good advice for
today? In my
opinion, it is
always good advice
to follow, but
perhaps, even more
so today.
Off and on through
the years, I too
have tried to follow
“WWJD”, but have
failed many times,
because I am flesh.
Since I cannot
always do what Jesus
would do … in my
flesh, should I just
quit? No, but I do
need to be aware of
my frailties. Think
about this. If I am
a self-righteous
person, I may
“think” I am doing
what Jesus would do
(remember the
scribes and
Pharisees), but I
could be just
promoting my own
agenda. So in this,
I need to be wary of
my intentions.
The Law is all about
“works”. It demands
total, absolute
fulfillment, or
death. Can I, by my
own volition,
fulfill the Law?
Absolutely not. Then
when I am trying to
comply with “What
Would Jesus Do”, am
I attempting to
fulfill the Law, as
the scribes and
Pharisees, or simply
trying to follow my
Master?
There are two roads
in a person’s life,
(1) the Law, and (2)
Grace. The Law
demands that our
works comply with
all the requirements
of the Law, or else
face eternal death.
If we fail in even
one point, just one
time, we are guilty
before the Law. “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he
is guilty of all.”
(James 2:10). Grace
demands that we rely
on the works of
Jesus (Who did
fulfill the Law) for
eternal life.
If one does not know
Jesus as Savior,
they are relying on
their own ability to
fulfill the Law, and
that is impossible
for any child of
Adam to do. They are
guilty under the
Law, and are
therefore condemned
under the Law.
However, if they
will accept Jesus to
take their place, as
He has done, then
they are not guilty
under the Law,
because Jesus
fulfilled the Law
and stands in their
stead. They are no
longer a child of
Adam, but a child of
the new Adam; i.e.
Jesus Christ, the
Son of God. Again,
the outcome under
the condemnation of
the Law is eternal
death, but if we are
Christ’s, we are not
judged under the
Law, because Jesus
was judged on our
behalf. Jesus
fulfilled the Law
and gives us eternal
life. That is Grace.
What about the
Christian? The final
outcome of the
Christian, eternal
life, is always
secure in Christ
Jesus, but the
sanctification, or
growth, of the
Christian is
dependent on good
works produced by
the Holy Spirit, and
not human works
produced by us. If I
then ask myself in
any given situation,
“What Would Jesus
Do”, will my
response be accurate
or inaccurate as to
what Jesus would do?
Am I making a
“mountain out of a
mole hill”? I do not
think so, but we do
need to be careful
in the conclusion we
come to when asking
this question of
ourselves. It might
pay to remember what
Jesus said in
Matthew 7:3,
"Why
do you look at the
speck that is in
your brother's eye,
but do not notice
the log that is in
your own eye?”
In considering this
verse, the main
point to keep in
mind is to be
cautious of any
favoritism on our
part toward our own
attitude or
preconceived
opinions. In other
words, are we seeing
Jesus’ Word
accurately, or is
there a
misinterpretation on
our part for selfish
means?
Two things must be
done by the
Christian to
effectively use this
acronym; (1) we must
know what He would
do, and (2) we must
let Him perform the
work through us by
His Spirit Who lives
within us.
(1)
We must know what
Jesus would do. The
only way to
accomplish this is
to listen to what He
has to say about
Himself to us. He
speaks to us through
His Word, the Bible.
We cannot know Him
without listening to
Him, and He speaks
through His Word.
Here is where we
need to reside.
(2)
Let His Spirit
produce through us.
He has given us His
Spirit, the Holy
Spirit, to teach us
and to guide us. We
must be honest with
ourselves, and
objectively listen
to Him and follow
Him.
Is it possible that
we could still “get
it wrong”? As long
as we are in this
flesh, we are bound
to err in our
judgment of what to
do in a particular
situation. That
doesn’t mean, we
just give up; on the
contrary, we give
ourselves up to Him.
We should always
have a mirror
(spiritually) in
front of our face,
examining our
intentions. When I
ask myself “What
Would Jesus Do”, am
I self-motivated, or
Christ motivated?
Sometimes, it is
hard to see the
difference, if I am
not allowing the
Bible to be my
mirror.
Should I then
continue to ask
myself, “What Would
Jesus Do”? I
personally feel that
it would be an
excellent thing to
do. Surely, we would
err far less by
doing so, than if we
did not.
Grant Phillips
grantphillips@windstream.net
Pre-Rapture
Commentary
http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
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