Story by: Linda Schnepel.
(Editor’s note: Don’t panic. Linda’s post is not really 8 minutes long.
All biblical verse referenced in Linda’s story are posted at the end of her article.)
WWJD. It used to be a big thing years ago, but I still see it around today.
To know what Jesus would do in any situation, we first need to know who Jesus is and what He did when He was here on Earth.
Jesus is the Son of God who came to earth for a time. He is God in human form (Philippians 2:8). He created everything – including us (John 1:1-3). He is sovereign over all (Eph 1:20-21). Seeing Jesus is seeing the Father (John 14:9a).
Jesus loves people. He loves us so much that He died for us in order to restore our relationship with the Father (Romans 5:10-11). This shows that love means value. He values us enough to pay the painful price for our sins.
Contrary to many popular declarations, Jesus did not come here to love us as it is defined today. He didn’t walk around accepting and supporting everyone and their behaviors and choices. He was clear that sin led to death (Matt 18:8-9). He got quite angry at some of the choices people made such as hypocrisy (Matthew 23:1-36), greed and irreverence (Mark 11:15-17) and leading others to sin (Luke 17:1-2).
“But He ate with sinners,” many people say. “He didn’t judge them.” It is true that He ate with sinners, but not to show His acceptance or support of their sin. He ate with them to call them to repentance (Matt 5:30-32). In fact, His ministry revolved around calling people to repentance (Matthew 4:17). He even sent out His disciples to call other towns to repentance (Mark 6:12). As He preached and taught Jesus healed and delivered and fed people who came to Him, but always with the same message. He told the woman caught in adultery to sin no more (John 8:11). He told the crippled man that He healed the same thing (John 5:14).
He helped many people but not everyone. He didn’t help the widow who gave her last coins (Mark 12:42-44). He didn’t help non-Jews (Luke 15:24). Even with the Jews, the Bible often used the word ‘many’ instead of ‘all’. When asked one time, He said He only did what He saw His Father doing (John 5:19). He also didn’t help/heal everyone the same way and He didn’t feed every crowd.
When Jesus returns, He will not be coming as a meek and mild baby. He will not be forgiving and calling us to repentance. He is coming back with fire in His eyes to judge the world. He is angry and will be exacting vengeance on those who have continued in their sinful choices (Rev 19:12a, 15).
So what would Jesus do in today’s society?
He would spend His time calling people to repentance and teaching about the kingdom of heaven.
He would value people but not accept and support every lifestyle and choice. He would point out the danger of sin and warn of its penalty while enjoying time with them as people created in God’s image.
He would spend time with most people, not avoid them. Most because religious hypocrisy and leading others to sin were exceptions. He wouldn’t spend time with them but would call them out on their behavior.
He would help people but only as the Father led Him. His first criteria would be to seek His Father’s will, and then treat each person as an individual.
He would pray. A lot. His relationship with the Father would come before everything else. And it was through of His relationship with His Father that He could do everything else.
Now the question becomes WWYD – What Will You Do?
Linda is a recurring contributor to Our High Places and has her own web site.
You can read more of her blog posts by – clicking here
Philippians 2:8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.
Eph 1:20-21 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
John 14:9a Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
Romans 5:10-11 For if while we were still enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Matt 18:8-9 And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.
Mark 11:15-17 And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.”
Luke 17:1-2 And he said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.
Matt 5:30-32 And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”
Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Mark 6:12 And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent.
John 8:11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither to I condemn you; go, and from now on sin nor more.”
John 5:14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.”
Mark 12:42-44 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
Luke 15:24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
John 5:19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.”
Rev 19:12a, 15 His eyes are like a flame of fire… From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.
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