Is the WWJD Emphasis a BIblical Emphasis?

This is a response to one student who attended a camp I taught at this summer. The question he raised "Why did you say the WWJD emphasis was not a Biblical emphasis?"

Thanks for thinking about these issues and for being concerned that what we think is according to the Bible and not just something someone has made up to sell a bunch of trinkets.

Here is why I made that statement. Many people think that the Christian life is us following the example Jesus set for us so our job is to look at how Jesus lived in the Bible and then copy his example. This is not at all what the Christian faith is. IF this is what it is then all we do is follow his example which we cannot do because of our sinful nature. Romans 8:7 "the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so."

IF all we have to do is follow the example of Jesus while he lived on earth then what is the reason for any relationship with Him now. IF all we need to do is ask “What would Jesus do? And then practice what Jesus did Jesus is only a good moral teacher whose example we are to follow.

What becomes of the statements of Jesus in John 15:5 when he says "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” This is far more than a moral example he gave, He meant to become our very life. Paul writes something similar when he speaks in Colossians 1:27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

Casey, the Christian life is not Jesus and me. This is religious moralism. The Christian life is Jesus In me! Jesus died so the Spirit of God could take up residence in your life. (I Cor 3:16; I Cor 6:19-20) We are not meant to follow Jesus, we are meant to yield our lives so as to be filled with the Spirit of God so he will live out the life of Christ through us so the world will see the glory of Christ and not us.

So now the question must be, “How does Christ come to live in us?” To answer that let me ask another question, “Where are you most at home?” Certainly where you are most welcome correct? SO as we turn our lives over to Christ’s control and we begin to live with Him in our lives he will begin to direct us through His Word to show us how he wants us to yield to him.

When we read to not give place to anger, we recognize that His Word is directing us to confess that as sin and repent of it and seek His power to overcome it. Her is an example. IF anger is a problem in your life you look to the Word of God and read what it says about anger. You agree with God about his view on anger and then you pray and ask Christ to fill your life with his presence so you will have a growing victory over anger. SO now who is it that overcomes anger in your life? Is it you or is it Christ? Your responsibility is to yield to Christ his responsibility is to overcome your sin, for only He is powerful enough to do so.

Is this beginning to make sense? It is not your effort to overcome sin, your sinful nature will not let you win any victories and even if you did you would have room to be proud of your accomplishments. But our lives are not to point to us and our efforts but to Christ and his power. I hope you are beginning to see the truth of this. The church in America has been victimized by religious clichés that have been marketed by charlatans seeking to make money of the church. I often wonder how Jesus responds to those who are marketing his name for profit.

Question: What would Jesus do? Answer: Not buy any WWJD bracelets or coffee mugs or bible covers, etc.

I hope this helps.