Rev. Brian M. Abshire

Every so often, another silly fad hits Christian circles. Years ago, it was an upraised index finger calling for “One Way.” Later it was little fishes (my wife and I have one on our wedding rings!). Mostly these fads are harmless enough, just a bit tacky, and sometimes perhaps a little insipid but nothing really to get upset about. They too will pass and do no real damage to the Kingdom.

The most recent craze is “WWJD” or “What Would Jesus Do.” The idea behind this of course is that throughout the day, when confronted with various decisions, the little logo is supposed to remind us to ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do in this situation.” First, these initials were put on a bracelet, then like some horrible, growing blob creature from a 1950’s B movie, they began appearing on anything and everything. (”It’s ALIVE!”)

Now, really, I don’t have a problem with the WWJD bracelet, bumper sticker, baseball cap or pen and pencil set. Marketers have to make a living too. And though I think it a little adolescent, it is no big deal. However, I DO have a problem with WWJD being touted as a SERIOUS aid to Christian ethics. A number of emails, cards and advertising blurbs have recently crossed my desk telling me that THIS little logo is THE cutting edge of responsible Christian living.

Now look, I know that I am a nasty, cynical and unsentimental type, caustic in nature with millennia to go in my sanctification, but come on people, doesn’t anyone else see a problem with this? First, the very question itself borders on blasphemy. Jesus was the incarnate Son of God. We cannot always know let alone DO, what Jesus would do. If we saw thousands of people hungry, could we do what Jesus would do, i.e., feed them with a few loaves of bread and a couple of fishes? If we were out on a boat and the wind and waves threaten to capsize us, could we still the waters with a word? Could you do what Jesus did if the IRS man came and demanded an unlawful tax? (”Well Mr. Taxman, if you’ll just go down to the local fishing hole, you’ll find this year’s taxes in the mouth of a big fat trout). When was the last time someone wearing a WWJD bracelet stood up in a church business meeting and whipped the money lenders, (er, I mean “finance committee”) out of the church for going into ungodly debt for the building program?

Furthermore, we do not always know WHAT Jesus would do because the historical situation has changed since He came. Therefore, what He did THEN might not be the same thing He would do today. For example, say Jesus was driving in bumper-to-bumper freeway traffic (I have visions of Him parting the Los Angeles rush hour traffic jam like Charlton Heston sorry!) and some numbskull cuts Him off in traffic. Would Jesus just smile and drive on His way? In His first advent, He might have because He was in His state of humiliation. He came to serve, not be served. But today He is the risen and ascended King of Kings and Lord of Lords. If Jesus were physically here today and somebody flipped him a rude gesture wouldn’t this be an affront to His divine majesty resulting in a squadron of angels blasting this sacrilegious turkey off the face of the earth? (Well, we can only hope). The point here of course is that Jesus had divine prerogatives that we do not. He had divine power we do not. He had divine knowledge that we do not. We do not always know what He would do, nor would we necessarily have the power to do it, even if we did.

But even more importantly, the REAL problem with this little catch phrase is that few Christians today in broad evangelical circles really have a clue as to what Jesus would actually do in any given situation because they are Biblically illiterate. When they give their cliche, most people immediately turn inward and subjective and ask themselves “What do I THINK Jesus would do?” They do not know the Scriptures so they look to their feelings as their guide. And so in reality, they substitute the sinful impressions of men for the power and clarity of the unchanging Word of God.

What would Jesus do? Really? He would keep the Law. Yup, that’s right. Jesus would keep the whole law (Matt 5:19). But since we live in an antinomian age, most Christians don’t have a clue as to what the Law requires. For example, the average born-again, Bible believing, broad evangelical Christian cannot even state all of the Ten Commandments. Seriously! Back in the Dark Ages when I went to a Christian college, one of the professors had us write down the Moral Law as a quiz. In a class of 30 odd students, (well, not really THAT odd) only one was able to list all ten (modesty forbids identifying the one spiritual giant in the class). Here were Christian kids, who had grown up in the church, been to Sunday School, VBS, innumerable Christian camps, sat through thousands of sermons and they did not even know the God’s Top Ten.

Hence, if people do not even KNOW the Law, how can they possibly do what Jesus would do? They can’t. And they don’t. And that my friends, helps explain much of the utter irrelevancy of modern, broad evangelicalism.

Unlike modern Christians, David loved God’s Law; it was his meditation all the day (Psa 119:97). Joshua was told to meditate on the Law day and night so that he would be careful to do all that was written in it (Josh 1:8). Jesus said, “if you love me, keep my commandments” (Jn 14:15). But we live in a lawless age, where even the King’s own household believes that they are under “grace” not law. And so they think up witty catch phrases, put them on bracelets, bumper stickers and baseball caps, and then go right on doing their own will.

Jesus said that His great commission for us was to disciple the nations, teaching them to observe all that He had commanded (Matt 28:19-20). But if we do not know His commandments, we cannot teach His commandments. Thus in one sense, we are worse than unbelievers; for at least they can plead ignorance. But “to whom much is given, much is expected.” And Jesus expects us to obey Him.

Some people will say, “isn’t it enough just to love God and one another?” And of course, these are the two greatest commandments. And what Jesus would do is always the loving thing. But what is the “loving” thing? Love is the summary of the Law. The Law tells us what it means to love God and to love one another. You cannot use a summary to deny one of the things that it summarizes! Hence, we cannot understand the content of love without knowing the Law. If we do not know the Law, we cannot love in spirit and truth. But God’s love is often hard for us. Christians today define “love” as a warm mushy feeling. God defines it as keeping His commands. Most modern Christians hate and fear the Law because to their unsanctified eyes it appears hard, cruel, and “oppressive.” They don’t want that nasty old God of wrath from the “Old” Testament, but the “loving” god of the New, not realizing that without the Law, there is no content to love.

So the next time some genius says, “What would Jesus Do,” be gracious, be kind, be gentle. But also be firm. Remind them, “Jesus would keep the whole Law.” And once they understand and apply THAT, then they can expect to see the power of God unleashed.