What Would Jesus Do?

Is that just a cute saying? We certainly are called to do what Jesus did (e.g. honor his Father and obey Him in all in full submission to his will). So, we will one day be confronted with the fact that we may not have always cared to do what Jesus did or would have done when faced with the temptations we are faced with. And we know this about Jesus and facing temptations:

Hebrews 4:15

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin.
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1 Peter 4:1

Therefore, since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourselves with the same resolve, because anyone who has suffered in his body is done with sin.

Are you willing to suffer in your body so you can be done with sin? When you pluck out your right eye that causes you to sin or cut off your right hand that causes you to sin (Matthew 5:29-30), you suffer in your body. No need for a surgeon to do that. You do that when you deny yourself and take up your cross (an instrument of death) to follow Jesus (Mark 8:34). You die to yourself and that's how the new life in Christ can come, full of good fruit (cf. Romans 6:4-6, John 15:4-5). 

Mark 8:35

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it.

That verse comes right after the command for those who want to be Jesus' disciples to deny themselves and take up their cross to follow Him (Mark 8:34). You suffer because you choose to resist the devil and not fall prey to him when you are tempted by some forbidden fruit that is quite attractive (e.g. Genesis 3:6). And it's because you love the forbidden fruit. If you didn't love it, you would't suffer by just turning away from it. But if you obey God rather than your evil desire, your love for what is good, righteous and pure will grow. You will be transformed through your obedience to the truth, which is God's word, not the devil's word to you (lies certainly).

John 8:31-32

31 Jesus therefore said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free [from sin, see v. 36].

We can't be Christians and do away with those words. And that's the truth. Let's not realize that too late, because we have been conditioned to sum up the gospel as John 3:16 and Ephesians 2:8-9. The message of the Bible will never fit in a tweet!

John 12:24-25

24 Truly, truly, I say to you, Except a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone: but if it dies, it brings forth much fruit. 25 He that loves his life shall lose it; and he that hates his life in this world shall keep it to eternal life.

If you are still attached to your life in this world and in particular to the sin that's in it, that's the strongest signal that you can send to God, after hearing the Gospel, that his gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23) does not interest you.

But when you give up on living in this world according to its principles, and you truly give your life to God, looking forward to eternal life, He knows you mean business and you shall enter in through the narrow door.

Luke 13:23-24

23 One said to him, “Lord, are they few who are saved?” He said to them, 24 “Strive to enter in by the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter in, and will not be able.

Matthew 7:13-14

13 “Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it.14 How narrow is the gate, and difficult is the way that leads to life. Few are those who find it.

If this post disturbs you, we can discuss on the basis of the scriptures I have mentioned. Why shouldn't they be in your heart? Why wouldn't you love them and live by them?


See also:

Love Out Of A Pure Heart (1 Timothy 1:5)

Suffer The Cross To Overcome Addictions

Crucify the Flesh - YouTube playlist

If your right hand...

DWJS Do What Jesus Said!