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manichunter -> What Would Jesus Do WWJD (8/6/2008 1:26:32 PM)
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Most have heard the statement, "What would Jesus Do?" I now respond with, " What did Jesus do?" What is the intent of this statement? Is the intent of this statement a pun that establishes that Jesus laid down a pattern of conduct that His believers are expected to immulate by their own behavior.
Ask yourself the question, what did Jesus do?
If this is the case, how did Jesus actually act and live? What defined and dictated His manner of conduct? What was the example He left and established as the means for His followers live and act in their own lives? Scripture is replete with how Jesus conducted Himself towards other people and God?
Jesus lived a perfect life without sin. How did He do this? He obeyed every commandment, statute, and judgment required by God. He live the Torah in perfection. He did not accomplish anything or act without Torah being observed and pleased. There is no such case of Jesus acting in any other manner outside of the Torah from the first covenant that was given to Israel to observe, immulate, and propogate. He live the Torah and nothing else. He live the Torah for us and removed the eternal penalty of death that condemned all manner of flesh because it could not obey the Torah by its own works. Every person before Jesus fell short. A great many tried for various reasons, but all failed in their carnality.
Now back to what would Jesus do, now that we know what Jesus actually did? If we take away how He actually lived a life of Torah, we are left with nothing to deny ourself, pick our own cross, and follow Jesus. We have thrown away our example of conduct and life given straight from the Master. God lived in the flesh in the manner all mankind should live in their spirit. This is what Jesus did.
Now the Father has sent His Sprit. The saints can live in the manner of Abraham, David, and Moses in a more perfect way. Their trust and love towards God can be demonstrated without the fear of condemnation. Abraham, David, and Moses all experienced God's grace in their keeping of God's commandments not because it demonstrated their works for justification, but love and trust towards God. They all made valiant efforts to do what Jesus eventually did, and they were rewarded by God's grace. Now, what are the saints required to do today now that the grace of God has been manifested but the same thing within God's grace. This what Jesus did and requires of us to immulate, His manner of life and love.
To conclude, if we do not do what Jesus did, then we cannot not do what Jesus would do.
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