Articles
Just [Don't] Do It
In 1988, Nike began using what would become their brand slogan, and it was so effective it might literally called be the determining factor in the success of the company from that day forward. Just the previous year, the company laid off 20% of its workforce and things were not looking good for the company’s future. But the slogan was one that was meant to motivate, and a simple statement that many involved in sports competition could relate to: “Just Do It.”
For the disciple of Jesus Christ, we would do well to heed that simple exhortation when it comes to the commands our Lord has given; instead of wondering ‘Why?’ or arguing about its necessity or worrying about what ‘everyone else’ is doing or what our parents and ancestors did or are doing, or wondering about potential consequences and negative reactions from our friends and family or even the world, sometimes we just need to take a deep breath and just do it. Sometimes, we need to be reminded that Jesus once said, “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matt. 7:21). Sometimes, we need to be reminded, “keeping the commandments of God is what matters” (1 Cor. 7:19), and again, as Jesus said, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word” (John 14:23). Sometimes, we waste a lot of time and energy trying to find a way out of doing what the Lord has commanded, but when we know what we should do, we should not delay but, instead, just do it.
But just as the psalmist wrote, “You who love the Lord, hate evil!” (Psa. 97:10); loving the Lord necessarily means we must simultaneously hate that which is evil! We cannot just love the Lord; we must stay away from — and hate — those things that are in opposition to everything good and righteous. To that end, let us who are disciples of Jesus Christ then consider the following, with this warning: Just don’t do it!
Do Not Lean on Lineage for Salvation. Many who are not really Christians [but falsely believe they are] rely on their lineage for salvation, reasoning that because their parents followed certain beliefs and practices, they would somehow ‘inherit’ their salvation. This is obviously not true, but it is also not new.
In the first century, John the baptizer chastised the religious leaders — “the Pharisees and Sadducees” — by admonishing them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones” (Matt. 3:7-9). What he was telling them was that the fact they were blood descendants of Abraham did not mean they would be saved.
Even children of true and faithful Christians can fall into this self-deceptive thinking, if not careful. It may be that our parents [and maybe even grandparents] faithfully followed God’s will, but that does not mean the children are, or will. The truth spoken by Ezekiel is still true today: “The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself” (Ezek. 18:20). Neither righteousness nor sin is inherited! If you are tempted to think your lineage as some guarantee of salvation, just don’t do it!
Do Not Do What You Do for the Praise of Men. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus used the example of the one He called “the hypocrites” who would draw attention to themselves before doing some charitable deed, praying, or fasting (Matt. 6:1-8, 16-18). Those who did such, Jesus said, “have their reward” (Matt. 6:2, 5, 16), and it did not come from God.
This does not mean we must not ever allow anyone to see us do good deeds or praying, for Jesus had said earlier that we should “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:16), and Paul was not shy about praying before others (cf. Acts 27:35). The difference is, the hypocrites do it simply to be seen of men, while the sincere disciple does it to be acceptable to God. Sometimes, both may be doing the exact same thing, but only one will be accepted by God. If you are tempted to do something just to draw attention to yourself, just don’t do it!
Do Not Be Conformed to This World. Paul’s admonition is one we have likely heard before, but it is no less needed today than at any other time; “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:2). It should not seem strange that Christians are admonished to not be like the world, but it seems some today think it strange that anyone [including God] would demand such of them; to many in this country who call themselves ‘Christians,’ there is no discernible difference in behavior, words, or actions between them and the godless world that surrounds us. Such should not be the case! In fact, John reminds us, “Whoever claims to live in Him must live as Jesus did” (1 John 2:6; NIV). If the world is pulling at you to just ‘blend in’ and be like them, just don’t do it! Be like Christ, not the world.
Do Not Let Sin Have a Place in Your Life. Of all the admonitions to not do something, this one is probably the most repeated, though stated in different ways. For example, Paul admonished the Christians in Rome, “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts…do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin” (Rom. 6:12, 13); he would later restate it “make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts” (Rom. 13:14). To the Ephesians, Paul also admonished, “do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil” (Eph. 4:26, 27). In that last passage, the specific warning is against allowing him an opportunity to use our anger to draw us into sin, but the admonition is most certainly relevant to all temptations to sin! Just don’t do it!
Discipleship is not just about doing the right things, nor is it just about avoiding the unrighteous things; it is about doing both! All disciples should be practicing righteousness as a way of life, but simultaneously abstaining from the unrighteous things. Do good, but also don’t do evil.
This fact also points to the need for us to be able to know the difference between good and evil (Heb. 5:14). — Steven Harper
