What Would Jesus Do?

"We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true." 2 Corinthians 6:3-8

Did you notice the last sentence in the above verses? It reminds me of an event that just happened to some friends of mine. In fact, though the event just happened, it happens so often I had to blog about it.

In the above verses, Paul tells us that he was treated like an imposter for preaching the gospel of Jesus. Just a few nights ago a group of my friends were teaching people about Jesus. While standing outside of a local Starbucks, they passed out tracts and shared the gospel to the people passing by. A girl came up to them, and began angrily yelling along the lines of, “Would Jesus have done this? Would Jesus have told people they were going to hell? This isn’t the way to reach people! You need to use your actions to preach the gospel!” By her statements, she was implying they were imposters—imposters to true Christianity!

But, to answer her questions: YES! Did would and DID do this!

In Luke 13:15 Jesus said, "No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."

In Matthew 5:22 Jesus said, "But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire."

In Luke 12:4-5 Jesus said, "I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!" (If hell is not REAL and if hell is not SCARY, why would Jesus give such a bold warning?)

And then, in Matthew 23:33 Jesus says, "You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?"

So Yes! Jesus WOULD and DID talk about hell. He knows it is a REAL and SCARY place, and He boldly warned people about it.

It's sad when people say WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) and they have no idea what Jesus would actually do. They have some idea of a pretty Jesus speaking kind words, and they forget that Jesus drove out the money changers in the temple with a whip. He was zealous for His Father.

And when His followers are zealous too, and when they deeply believe the gospel that they share with others, and when they can't help but share it with passion because they know it is true, they get accused of being imposters!

Yet in all of this, there is a great reason to rejoice! They are again in the company of Paul, who rejoiced after being beaten, because he was counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Jesus. (Acts 5:41)

And the winner is...

Congratulations Christopher! You are the winner of the Book Giveaway Contest!

Let me know which book you 'd like and your address and I will get it right out to you in the mail. You can email me at katielhoffman@yahoo.com.

Congratulations again!

And let me add a verse I love, that also seems to relate to this contest: "We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall." Proverbs 16:33

Enter to WIN a FREE copy of "Lies Women Believe" by Nancy Leigh DeMoss

I'm actually giving a choice of prizes. The winner can pick "Lies Women Believe" by Nancy Leigh DeMoss, "Beautiful in God's Eyes" by Elizabeth George, or "Calm My Anxious Heart" by Linda Dillow.

All three of these books come HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.

Lies Women Believe: And the Truth that Sets Them Free
The lies Christian women believe are at the root of their struggles. In Lies Women Believe, Nancy Leigh DeMoss exposes areas of deception common to many Christian women -- lies about God, sin, priorities, marriage and family, emotions, and more. She deals honestly with women's delusions and illusions and then gently leads them to the truth of God's word that leads to true freedom.

Beautiful in God's Eyes: The Treasures of the Proverbs 31 Woman
Guiding women through Proverbs 31, beloved Bible teacher Elizabeth George shows how God defines beauty and reveals how His plan for success is totally achievable. Insightful and practical, this book reveals how women can make each day meaningful and delight in what God accomplishes through them. Women will feel greater confidence and enjoy rich daily rewards as they realize who they are in Christ and what they can do when they follow His formula for true beauty.

Calm My Anxious Heart: A Women's Guide to Finding Contentment
Although many Christian women say they trust God, their lives are filled with worry and anxiety-about their children, their finances, their relationships, their jobs. They know their lives should be characterized by faith in God, but they're unsure of how to get that kind of faith. This book and twelve-week study helps women grow in contentment as they address the barriers to contentment and how to overcome them.


All you have to do is... leave a comment below and your email address or blog link so I can contact you. A winner will be randomly chosen next Wednesday. Everyone is welcome to enter. I will post the winner up on the blog. The winner can pick one of the three books listed above.