What Jesus Did

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I just noticed a fascinating snippet in an article I was reading. In ““This is Fox 21 News. Can We Come Talk To You?” … Yes”“, McKrae Game speaks about an interview with a TV crew about transgender people. The article itself is quite fascinating and deserves a good read.

But I noticed something really striking in the middle,

As I did the interview with What Jesus Did, which is the wrist band I wear that says WJD…

WWJD?
WWJD?

It’s an obvious play on the WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) bracelets that were so popular a while back (and might still be in some places, for all I know). A helpful reminder as we consider our actions, but always prone to end up in some form of moralism if we’re not careful.

I like the concept of WJD – What Jesus Did. What did He do? He gave Himself for us. He did everything.

Gal. 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

WJD puts the emphasis not on Jesus’ loving moral life (as good as it certainly was) but on His loving sacrificial death – there is the great act of grace that saves us. But more than that  – it leads to our own recreation and resurrection. We “die with Christ”, our old sinful self is put to death and we live a new life in Him. The Day after Ascension Day we ought to also have clearly in mind that Christ has ascended to heaven and taken our humanity right into the presence of God where he ever intercedes for us so that we might never fear to approach God. Quite incredible.

And all of this simply due to What Jesus Did.

There is a far better answer to the conundrum of how the Christian does right in the world. Not by simply following Jesus’ example of good works which can all too often turn into a repeat of Sisyphus’s futile work, well beyond our own mortal ability. But by thinking on and being internally renewed by Jesus gracious giving of Himself – His death and subsequent resurrection and ascension – there is a better way.

 

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  1. Matt King

    Hi David

    Interesting article. Love the WJD idea. However, two things struck me in the article that seemed to work against the WJD idea (probably in the light of some strikingly similar conversations with people this past week):

    1. “Years ago, a few months after accepting Christ, I felt The Lord calling me to commit my life to Him.” Is this the separation of Jesus as my savior and Jesus as my Lord?

    2. “I told them that Jesus did everything in my life but it started with me being willing.” That is, me and Jesus met halfway.

    Tell me: am I being too picky?

    Matt

    1. David Ould

      no, I don’t think you’re being picky. I had pretty much the same response to the things you noted.
      I just wanted to pick up on the helpful language of WJD, though.

  2. John Richardson

    ‘Putting on Christ is understood in two ways: according to the Law and according to the Gospel. According to the Law (Rom. 13:14), “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ; that is: Imitate the example and the virtues of Christ. Do and suffer what He did and suffered.” So also 1Peter 2:21: “Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow in His steps.” In Christ we see the height of patience, gentleness, and love, and an admirable moderation in all things. We ought to put on this adornment of Christ, that is, imitate these virtues of His. In this sense we can imitate other saints as well.

    But to put on Christ according to the Gospel is a matter, not of imitation but of a new birth and a new creation, namely, that I put on Christ Himself, that is, His innocence, righteousness, wisdom, power, salvation, life, and Spirit.’

    [Martin Luther, Luther’s Works, Vol. 26: Lectures on Galatians, 1535, Chapters 1-4 ( ed. Jaroslav Jan Pelikan et al.;Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1999), Ga 3:27.]

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