Jesus’ teachings can seem to be paradoxical.
Exhibit A: He requires a standard of living that’s even more rigorous than the Old Testament. Jewish law condemned adultery (Exodus 20:14); Jesus said that even looking at someone lustfully was wrong (Matthew 5:27- 28). Jewish law allowed for divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1); Jesus condemned it except for marital infidelity (Matthew 5:32). Many Jewish leaders misread the Law and felt it allowed for retaliation (Exodus 21:23-25); Jesus taught otherwise (Matthew 5:38-42). Murder was always condemned (Exodus 20:13), but Jesus saw anger and hate as equally bad (Matthew 5:22). Jesus definitely calls us to high moral standards of eternal significance (Matthew 5:20).
Exhibit B: But Jesus also earned a rather odd reputation as the “friend of . . . sinners” (Luke 7:34). He dealt gently with the divorced and the sexually loose (John 4:17-18, 8:10-11). He had dinner with thieving tax collectors (Luke 19:5-8) and welcomed people with bad reputations (Luke 7:37-39). Simon the zealot, one of Jesus’ own disciples, was a political revolutionary, and Peter was even capable of violence (Luke 6:15; John 18:10). Jesus kept company with the very people least likely to live up to His moral standards. And that’s good news.
If you’re a murderer, adulterer, thief, or drunkard; if you’ve lusted, lied, or been lax in keeping confidences; if you’re greedy, angry, jealous, or selfish, Jesus is prepared to accept you. He’s a friend of sinners. The only people Jesus can’t accept are the arrogantly self-righteous—those who deny their need for change and forgiveness; those lost in the deceptive belief that they are superior to all (Matthew 9:12).
Jesus was no doe-eyed softy, relaxing morals in some free-love way. His ethics are hard, His standards high. But He’s also a friend of sinners, including you and me.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Nehemiah 2:1-20
More:
Read the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19. Which came first—Jesus seeking out this tax collector or Zacchaeus seeking forgiveness for his sins?
Next:
How does this characteristic of Jesus comfort you when you sin? Which “sinner” have you pulled away from that you should instead—like Jesus— move toward in grace?
daisymarygoldr on April 29, 2011 at 2:17 am
I agree. Jesus has high standards but He’s also a friend of sinners. He is a friend of sinners but He is no sinner. Jesus was not simply schmoozing with sinners. He came to save us ‘from’ our sins. All those sexually loose, thieving tax collectors left everything—bad reputations, violence and all—to follow their new found friend. Jesus warns His friends against doing evil, including partying, and getting drunk (Matthew 24:48-51).
“The only people Jesus can’t accept are the arrogantly self-righteous—those who deny their need for change and forgiveness…” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10) We are not to socialize with people who claim to be believers yet indulge in sins (1 Corinthians 5:9-11). I was once a murderer, adulterer, thief, or drunkard; lusted, lied, greedy, angry, jealous, or selfish. Christ in grace suffered the punishment for my sins.
Now that Jesus is my friend, I want to be more like Him. It really comforts me when I fail to live by the high standards of His grace—to turn the other cheek, to love those who hate me and to bless those who insult me. Thanks sheridan voysey for teaching me to be a friend of sinners!
eppistle on April 29, 2011 at 7:55 am
Like Jesus, we should love the sinner and hate the sin. And it’s not that we hate the sin, IN SPITE of loving the sinner. It’s that we hate the sin, BECAUSE we love the sinner – just like when our children come down with a high fever we hate the sickness, not IN SPITE of loving the sick person, but BECAUSE we love the sick person. Whether the sin is homosexuality, gossip or materialism, we should hate the sin because it eats away at the sinner. When we see people habitually sinning, we can either ignore the sin, affirm the sin or condemn the sinner. But codependency and self-righteousness are not options for the Christian community. Instead as fellow sinnesr struggling with our own sin, we should be a true friend to the sinner and through the power of the Holy Spirit help the sinner overcome his sin. How can you be a true friend of a sinner today?
tim gustafson on April 29, 2011 at 8:30 am
Excellent point, eppistle. We hate the sin BECAUSE we love the sinner. Real love will help us see the damage being done by the sin.
cricket41 on April 29, 2011 at 10:14 am
Hi all, this was an eye opener for me today! I did not know that anger and non forgiveness was the same as murder? Please pray for me to get rid of my anger, and allow me to finally forgive the way God wants me to forgive. Thank you all so very much.
sheridan voysey on May 1, 2011 at 2:24 am
Thanks for sharing, cricket41. Will pray for you! And please know that the Jesus that draws those seemingly disparate sins together always forgives when we ask, and empowers us to change.
borntolead on April 29, 2011 at 12:14 pm
I sure will pray for you cricket41. We share the same struggle. Whether we admit it or not, or whether we are even aware of it or not, in one way or another we commit this nonforgiveness. I thought all this time everything is fine with me. Only later did I realized (as revealed to me by the Lord) that I’m having grudges against my family members, friends, workmates. These concealed feelings, as what they are coined, are concealed enough that we are not aware they are eating us up.
Good thng there’s always hope in Christ. Whenever I feel bad, or feel the temptation to get even against/with a person, I am always reminded that I no longer live in me, that I have been crucified with Him and I should be living victoriously, from glory to glory!
God is good!!!
sheridan voysey on May 1, 2011 at 2:25 am
Nice one, borntolead.
OnMyWayHome on April 30, 2011 at 11:17 pm
I’m a sinner and I have done much I have also grieved the Lord.
I just wanted to confess this aloud and to ask for forgiveness from the Lord. I hope and pray that what I have done will be forgiven and that the Lord will bring me back whole.
sheridan voysey on May 1, 2011 at 2:32 am
Here’s a special verse for you, OnMyWayHome:
‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.’ (1 John 1:9)
And another:
‘Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.’ (James 5:16)
Christ is always ready to forgive! And he does so as soon as we confess. Confessing to others (in person) is another step forward in healing whatever needs to be healed afterwards.
Do you have someone to talk to about this personally, OnMyWayHome?
God bless you. (And He will.)
OnMyWayHome on May 1, 2011 at 6:23 pm
sheridan voysey thank you for the verses, as your words ring true. I do need to believe.
As in Mark 9:24 I am ever doubting kind of funny since my first name is Thomas (Really)
Mark 9:24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
I’m accepting by faith that the Lord has forgiven me and I do believe this, and yet…..that’s the part I know its of the Lord and not of me. I cant forgive myself as did the Lord and this is wrong if He is able then I should be able?
Thank you.
sheridan voysey on May 3, 2011 at 1:16 am
Thanks for your heartfelt sharing, OnMyWayHome. It sounds like you’re still struggling with feelings of guilt after your forgiveness. I really do recommend talking and praying this through with someone on a one-to-one level. You sound a little isolated in this. Yes, your forgiveness has been granted by God. Now either the enemy, a further sin, or an over-active conscience is troubling you. Having another wise Christian as a sounding board (and even to confess to) is most valuable to find a way forward.
OnMyWayHome on May 3, 2011 at 3:02 am
sheridan voysey
You are right on both counts as to struggle and as to me seeking out another for prayer and counsel.
I have done so and after our we prayed and I was leaving I asked am I ‘possessed or oppressed’ he looked at me and just said ‘oppressed’.
I am beginning to understand whats going on.
Thank you again.