“But Jesus answering said to him, ‘Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he permitted Him.” (Matthew 3:15)
A POPULAR SAYING
What would Jesus do?
We’ve all heard it before.
It’s become a popular saying in the contemporary Christian community among our young people as well as among adults.
And the verse above is an example of it!
THE RIGHT THING TO DO
In the Gospel of Matthew chapter 3 and verse 15 we have our Lord’s response to John the Baptist when John would have it that Jesus baptize him rather than him baptize Jesus. After all, why should Jesus be baptized? John’s was a baptism of repentance and Jesus was sinless. There was nothing for Christ to repent of.
But, despite that, Jesus would go on to make it clear to John that this was still the right thing to do. And as it was of prime importance that Christ identify with sinners (which was the very thing He came to do!).
And so our Lord was interested in doing what was right (“it is fitting … to fulfill all righteousness”).
We can forget that I think sometimes. We think of our Lord as a miracle and wonder worker and healer, etc. But how often do we think of Him as being concerned with doing what was right (or the flip-side, concerned with not doing what was wrong)?
DOING WHAT’S RIGHT AND NOT WHAT’S WRONG
You see, beloved, it doesn’t matter, the miracles, the healings, etc. It doesn’t matter, the outreaches, the sharing of our faith with others, etc. It doesn’t matter if we’re not doing right and we’re doing wrong.
And I’m not talking about things that we’re oblivious to. I’m not talking about becoming overly introspective to dig up something of sin in our hearts that’s not there (or that it’s not God’s timing for it to be dealt with yet).
But what I am saying is this: Is there something that you know that you know that you know you need to clean up your act in that area?
What would Jesus do?
It’s the question to ask to make sure you’re concerned like He was about doing what’s right and not what’s wrong.
(Baptism of Jesus picture file above is in the public domain: click here. PD-US)
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