WWJD bracelets: We’ve all seen them, if not worn them. The concept is good, a visible and tangible reminder for us to think about what we’re doing and how we’re living. It’s an attempt to try and measure our living against what Jesus would, or wouldn’t, do. Really, it’s not a bad idea.
But we also realize the impossibilities of actually carrying out those ambitions. For one, we are not God, thus, severely limiting our potential to be true to our intent. Second, and what today’s reading points out to us, is that Jesus was so unpredictable. Think about it, not only were his enemies clueless about what and why he did certain things, many times his closest followers were as well. And in many cases, we’re still trying to figure it out. The truth of today’s lesson is one such example.
As Wright points out about our text (P. 68)—Luke 6:1-11—Sabbath keeping may not be much of an issue to us today, but we have our own unique rules and regulations of the Christian life that govern our particular slice of the Christian world.
I wonder which of our beliefs Jesus would blow out of the water?
And let’s face it, as much as any of does not want to be called a legalist; we all have some individual idiosyncrasies that we, whether privately or publically, use as criterion for spiritual judgment of others. I know I have a few, and even in knowing them it is still so hard to rid myself of them.
So, WWJD with our wrongly placed attitudes? In the Life Application Bible Commentary it asks us this question (p. 142), I’ll end with it: “Are you more concerned with opposing certain sins and cultural movements or in advancing the kingdom of God and proclaiming his love for men and women?”
Really: WWJD?
(Ed has dropped the course, so I filled in for him today)
Bill H
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5 comments:
Great question to ponder from the LABC... another way the commentary put it was “are we more concerned with the positives or the negatives”? I cringe every time I talk to someone about Christ and they immediately start asking me about what I am not allowed to do because of my beliefs.
Somehow we get so concerned in our Christian life about what we can't do that we forget to emphasize to unbelievers around us all we can do! We can live free! We can love without regret! We can always hope in eternity! And most importantly, we can know our destiny!
What an awesome God to give us something to cling to every time life gets dreary, we can always look forward to one sure promise – eternity with our Father.
The LABC poses a fantastic question. One by which I believe is causing much tension in the church today. I have met and "dealt" with so many people holding such "legalistic" views that the advancement of God's kingdom appears to be interrupted. Legalism is like a modern day Pharisee. Can we not let grace be grace? Evidence of grace will be the good fruit we bear and God's Word is the foundation by which we learn how to bear it. Let us not replace salvation by grace with legalism.
-Michael
It is important to remember that the standard that we have as christians that is founded in what Christ did for us, should not measure others but ourselves because we all have our differences, different convictions which will result differently to other people.
Sometimes the issues and problems that came out from the body of Christ (the Church) are mainly because of personal preferences and they do not have to do with biblical discernment. The world looks at us and does not want to be apart of the Church because we ourselves do not get along so well.
Great discussion: Lydia commented that we shouldn't measure others, but ourselves. Unfortunately, we often measure ourselves among ourselves -- I think this is where legalism starts. We don't measure ourselves by the ruler which God set in place; but instead, we foolishly use convenient reference points to make us feel better about ourselves.
I have thought long and hard about legalism and how to define it. I think about my own life and the fences that I have built to keep me out of trouble. I think it is good to build fences in our lives, (meaning: set some boundries -- not necessarily black and white issues from the Bible, but fences that keep us from getting too close to sin) When it becomes legalism is when i put my fence in someone else's yard. They need to build their own fences - they shouldn't have to live with mine.
Andy
Throughout our readings, Christ throws his disciples for a loop. He does the unexpected. But it’s not only the unexpected, it’s the opposite of how they would normally react in a specific situation. As I continue to read through the book of Luke I am constantly amused at how Christ responds differently than the disciples thought he would. “Certainly we can’t feed all of these people!” (Luke 9:12-17) Even though I would love to respond as Jesus would every time I make a decision, I agree that my finite humanness is no match for an infinite God. The best I can do is to show Christ’s love and retaliate with understanding and an open heart, laying aside my sinful desire to judge and seek revenge that the world sees so often.
~Shannon~
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