What Would Jesus Do?

Romans 7:19-20,24-25

Watch on YouTube – Watch on Facebook

There was a slogan that was around and very common when I was young: WWJD.

It was on bracelets and t-shirts and bumper stickers. WWJD: what would Jesus do?

I think the idea behind the slogan was an encouragement for Christians to wear it all over the place and when confronted with the difficult decision or with temptation to look down and see those letters and think to themselves ‘what would Jesus do?’ and to make the right decision.

As popular as that slogan was, it really provides little comfort for sinners to be reminded of Jesus as example. So often for ourselves we remark with the Apostle Paul from Romans chapter 7:

For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do, no, the evil I do not want to do this I keep on doing. —Romans 7:19-20

Being reminded of Jesus only as example can lead us to despair. As we think of how he always did what is right, never fell into temptation, always loved, and lived perfectly but I have not. We eventually cry out with the Apostle Paul:

Oh what a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?

And the answer:

Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord! –Romans 7:24-25

What we truly need to be reminded of on a regular basis is not what would Jesus do, but what Jesus did do for us. That he did live a perfect life, that he did die an innocent death, but not merely as our example, but as our Savior. To be reassured that trusting in him that we are covered with His holiness, His righteousness, His perfection. That we are forgiven before God because of Christ.

This next week I encourage you remember the phrase what would Jesus do, but more importantly remember what Jesus has done for you. Amen.