Resources/Articles
What He Would or Did?
Christ died for our sins...
was buried, and...
rose again the third day
according to the Scriptures.
1 Corinthians 15:3,4
A few years ago, you saw the “WWJD” craze sweep the nation’s religious community. The bracelet - which stood for What Would Jesus Do? - was considered a constant reminder to people of what we should think about with the choices we make. Those letters were soon stamped on hats, t-shirts, and inked on skin by a marker. When a person’s heart thought about those letters, it became to be a motivation for going the right way rather than committing sin. Not only did it preserve one’s character, it namely honored the Savior as the one who ruled their life’s actions. It symbolizes what 1 Peter 2:21 says: “For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow His steps.”
In an effort to honor Jesus through a a necklace, bracelet, or t-shirt, have we truly honored the Christ? Ephesians 4:13 emphasizes attaining unto “the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” with our attitudes and decisions. Are you measuring yourself against the example our Lord set for us? This standard is a pattern of excellence and perfection. Jesus provides us with innumerable ways to illustrate mercy, love, patience, hope, peace, and joy. He shows us how to behave in areas where we struggle. Although a hat has a reminder stamped upon it with WWJD, reading the Scripture where Jesus actually shows us how is what we truly need to consider. In the Bible, we are shown what Jesus did, not what He would do.
There was a church building which had a sign in front which read, “WDJD - What Did Jesus Do?” This is probably the more important question. Our salvation depends on the answer. What Jesus did can be found in 1 Corinthians 15:3,4: “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” The first part of that chapter tells you what came from the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. “Now I make known unto you, brethren, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand, by which also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which I preached unto you, except ye believed in vain” (vv. 1,2).
What Jesus did was die for us. His death provided the ransom paid for our sin. He died and conquered death so we could live. Jesus is the only way to the life we need. We will never be able to fully consider what Jesus would do until we have embraced what He did do for us on the cross.
