WWFJD?

There is a slogan making the rounds in church				there is the Patriotic Jesus. He loves his country,
circles				and
(especially in the U.S.) which asks "What would				would gladly lay down his life in defence of all
Jesus do?"				that it stands
It is abbreviated WWJD? and the letters feature				for.But the real Jesus was instrumental in
on				challenging the
everything from T-shirts to jewellery. They act				corruption that existed in his country. (It existed
both as a				because of
reminder to the person wearing them and as an				compromise between the religious authorities and
opening to				the
a Christian witness when the uninformed ask				political authorities.) Jesus prophesied the
what they				destruction of
stand for.I love the slogan, because I long to see				his own country, which he said would serve as a
Christians literally				stepping
following the teachings of Jesus instead of				stone to the development of a better
following the				government that would
various doctrines which have been created in his				be invisible and universal. He called this
name. I				revolutionary new
believe that a Christian is a follower and imitator				government "the kingdom of heaven".The
of Jesus;				Traditional JesusAnd what about the Traditional
so anything that gets people thinking about what				Jesus? The Traditional
Jesus				Jesus has many of the same traits that the
would do in any given circumstance is a step in				Jesuses we
the right				have already listed have; but he also supports
direction.Parents especially find the WWJD?				behaviours
practice helpful in				and practices that are not required by the laws
getting their young people to stay on the straight				of the land,
and narrow.				but which are just part of the local culture. He is
Teens refrain from smoking, drinking, swearing,				conservative, and he looks with suspicion on
telling dirty				anyone who
jokes, and associating with unseemly characters				would try to change the traditional ways of doing
as a				things,
response to the question whenever it comes up				whether it be religious practices or social
in their				taboos.This is the one who promotes good table
mind. They behave respectfully, go to church				manners, Sunday
regularly, and				worship, white shirts and ties, frequent use of
avoid sexual contact with others.But I am still				terms like 'sir'
concerned that this new trend is being heavily				and 'madam', and circumspect behaviour at all
influenced by a misunderstanding with regard to				social
who the				events. By contrast, the real Jesus was not
real Jesus is. Too many young people are asking				afraid to call
themselves "What would a false Jesus (or				religious leaders "damned hypocrites", to knock
Jesuses) do?"				over tables
(WWFJD?) and the answers they are coming up				in the Temple, to break Sabbath regulations, to
with do not				associate
resemble the real biblical Jesus of history.Some				with publicans and sinners, and to eat food with
of the false Jesuses have reunited families,				unwashed
enabled				hands. He actually instructed his followers not to
people to get off drugs, to avoid bad social				use
influences, and				terms like sir (which comes from 'sire' and
to stop gambling. They have brought people back				means 'father'),
to church				Mr. (which means 'master') and Madam (the
meetings and Bible studies, reformed criminals,				feminine
helped				equivalent of 'master').Other Conservative
people to overcome stress, to stay healthier, to				JesusesThere are other similar Jesuses, such as
find jobs,				the Polite Jesus,
and to gain promotions. Much of this is				the Popular Jesus, the Successful Jesus, or the
commendable. But				Respectable Jesus.They, too, always know how
the one thing they do not do is to save souls.				to behave in such a way as to
Not one				avoid scandal, and not rock the boat. There is a
person will find eternal life through the false				great deal of
Jesuses that				unity between all of these various Jesuses, so
exist only in their imaginations.Reforms can be				that it is often
accomplished through government				difficult to tell one from the other. Unfortunately,
organisations, through service clubs, and through				aspects of
other				each of these false Jesuses come to mind these
individuals and organisations which make no claim				days
to				whenever you ask church-educated people,
giving eternal life. But eternal life is something				"What Would
that can only				Jesus Do?" And they usually overlook what the
come from God himself. It is a miracle of such				real Jesus
proportions				would do, as a result.The Trendy JesusThere has
that you can be sure that there will be no room				arisen yet another Jesus in recent years: He is
for cheating				the Trendy Jesus. At first glance, he appears to
on the instructions to obtain it. If you really want				be nearer to
to receive				the radical Jesus of the Bible. But on close
eternal life, then it would pay you to read the				examination, he
fine print				is a disappointment too. The Trendy Jesus does
carefully, and not to fall for any counterfeits.Last				choose to
night I had a dream. I had purchased an				question the way things are going, but his
extremely				suggestions for
cheap non-refundable ticket on an ocean cruise...				change always fall short of actually exposing all
something I've often dreamed of being able to				of the other
afford. But				Jesuses for the phonies that they are. What the
when I got to the docks, I discovered that the				Trendy
cruise "ship"				Jesus wants is minor changes to the system
was an inflatable dingy, which was so				without losing
constructed that if I				the support of the very system that he seeks
were to move at all on it, it would simply sink.				to change.Trendy Jesuses introduce new fads and
Nothing I				gimmicks (such as
could do would make the "ship" live up to my				WWJD? engraved on bracelets and necklaces),
expectations,				modern
and it was too late to get a refund.This is how it				music, variations to the worship service, changes
is with false Jesuses. They may work fine				in dress
when it comes to some social issues, like helping				regulations, emphases which reflect political
people to				trends toward
adjust to life in modern society. But when you				increased environmental awareness, greater
move out onto				tolerance of
the oceans of life after death, they are totally				racial, religious, and sexual differences, and
useless. And by				moves to get
the time most people realise that, it is too late to				the government (always the government, and
get a				not the Trendy
refund.I would like to discuss a number of				Jesus himself) to help the poor, and right the
different types of false				wrongs of the
Jesuses that have confused people, and which				world.But we do not find either gimmicks or
have				efforts to stir the
actually led them away from the genuine Jesus				government into action in the life and teachings
of the Bible.				of the real
There is a lot of overlap between these various				Jesus... the one who alone can give eternal life.
Jesuses,				And the
and some will almost seem to be identical, since				reason for this is because the real Jesus was not
most of				trying to
us have borrowed from several to get a vague				promote the systems of the world, or trying to
picture in our				achieve
minds of how Jesus would act in various				success in the eyes of the world around him. He
circumstances.The Orthodox JesusWe'll start with				was only
the Orthodox Jesus. This is the one that				interested in promoting faith in an omnipotent,
follows the fundamental doctrinal teachings of				eternal God.He had come from heaven, and he
whatever				knew that he would be
church he happens to be attending. The				returning to heaven. Eternal life was not going to
Orthodox Jesus				be found in
would never think to question or challenge local				the systems of man, but only in harmony and
church				fellowship with
teachings, although he would definitely challenge				God the Father, the Creator of all
the				life.ConclusionWhether you are a conformer or a
teachings of any group that was labelled a cult,				reformer, what Jesus
or otherwise				wants you to consider is becoming a spiritual
identified as being outside the mainstream of				revolutionary
orthodoxy.Obviously, this Jesus contradicts the				instead... one who has dropped out of the rat
Jesus of the Bible,				race and
who was actually executed as a heretic by the				caught sight of an eternal kingdom which exists
orthodox				in the
religious leaders of his day.The Law-Abiding				hearts of all those who have such faith in
JesusNext, there is the Law-Abiding Jesus. This				God.What would Jesus do? He would do like
one would never				Abraham, and kill
think to disobey any of the laws of the land. He				his own son if God told him to. He would cut off
would regard				his hand
the police force as upholders of righteousness,				before he would let it stop him from gaining
because				eternal life. He
they protect law-abiding citizens from the criminal				would lay down his own life for God and for
elements				others. He
in our society.This Jesus also contradicts the				would forsake everything that he owns to have
biblical Jesus, who was on				eternal life.
the run from Jewish authorities for having broken				He would leave his family, his friends, his job, his
certain				home,
regulations with regard to working on the				and go into all the world preaching the good
Sabbath, and for				news of an
having made some questionable statements				eternal kingdom that only comes when we let go
about whether				of all the
or not his followers needed to pay taxes. His				other counterfeits.Are you ready to become his
hideout was				follower, and to really do what
finally discovered with the help of a traitor from				he would do?(See also Jesus the
his own				Revolutionary.)Dave and Cherry McKay are
gang, and he was arrested by the civil authorities				co-founders of the Jesus
on the				Christian communities, which are located in
grounds that his behaviour and teachings were a				Australia,
threat to				England, America, and Kenya.Dave's email
the stability of the government. He was				address is .auThe Jesus Christian website: www:/
eventually executed				jesuschristians.
as a common criminal.The Patriotic JesusThen

Airboat Fix

WWFJD?