Jesus and Sinners

Recently, I’ve heard several people comment through various sources (interviews and articles) on how Jesus kept company with sinners, in particular the more “troublesome” sinners, such as prostitutes and thieves. The context of these interviews was to slam conservative Christians. I rarely write about politics on this blog, so this post is not about the slam towards Christians. I will talk about Jesus, however.

It’s true. Jesus did keep company with sinners. He traveled with them. He ate dinner with them. He dwelt among them. Considering we’re all sinners, who else would He have kept company with? Once, when confronted by the Pharisees for eating dinner with tax collectors, He responded by saying, “For I came to call not the righteous, but the sinners,” (Matthew 9:13). Of course, he came for the Pharisees as well, since they, like the rest of us were sinners, but most of them were blinded by their own self-righteousness (there were exceptions of course, like Nicodemus).

But something I’ve noticed during these interviews and articles is that the second part of the story is missing. Yes, he kept company with sinners, but what happened during these encounters? He certainly didn’t participate in sin with them. Neither did He encourage them to continue in their sin. Instead, He showed compassion by meeting them where they were at – sinful and broken, and offered them hope. Enslaved to their sin, these sinners quickly recognized something different about Jesus, something better. He offered freedom, love, forgiveness, and redemption, without shaming them and without compromising the truth. When the Pharisees brought an adulterous woman to Jesus demanding she be stoned, Jesus said “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.” The Pharisees left. Jesus asked the woman if anyone condemned her and she said no. Jesus then said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more,” (John 8:3-11).

Once people encountered Jesus, they wanted to change. They wanted what Jesus offered. Matthew, once a despised tax collector, quickly abandoned his post when Jesus called him to follow Him (Matthew 9:9). Mary Magdalene, once possessed by seven demonic spirits, followed Jesus after He healed her. Simon the Zealot, once trained to fight against Rome, deserted his cause to follow Jesus. You see, when most people encountered Jesus, they were changed. They accepted the freedom and redemption Jesus offered. They knew and believed He was the Son of God. They were born again. No longer wanting to go back to the life they once lived, they followed Jesus and lived a better life, a holy life. Who would want to return to the old life when the life Jesus offered was far better?

You may have noticed I said, “most people.” Yes, there were some people who were not changed, who didn’t fully surrender to Jesus and recognize Him as Lord. Rather they held onto who they were. Let’s take Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus’s 12 disciples, for example. Judas traveled with Jesus and participated in His ministry, but it appears he was in it for himself, not because he believed Jesus to be the Son of God. In the book of John, Judas complained about Mary breaking a jar of oil to anoint Jesus. He claimed the jar could have easily been sold and the money given to the poor. John clarifies that Judas was not wanting to give away the money, but rather take it for himself (John 12:1-6). The book of Matthew tells of a conversation during the Last Supper. Jesus mentioned to the disciples that one of them was about to betray Him. Filled with sorrow, each one asked him, “Is it I, Lord?” except for Judas who asked, “Is it I, rabbi?” (Matthew 26:20-25). See the difference? The 11 disciples called Jesus “Lord,” while Judas referred to Him as “rabbi” or “teacher.” Judas then went on to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Once he realized what he had done, he returned the coins and said, “I have betrayed innocent blood.” He then hanged himself (Matthew 27:3-5). He never claimed Jesus as Lord though, only that He was innocent.

The same applies to us today. Once you have been born again and your life has changed because of Christ, you won’t want to return to your sinful ways. That’s how much He changes us. No matter where we are in life, it’s nothing compared to the love, hope, and life we gain in Christ. Imagine the Creator of the universe, the Holy God loving you so much He sent His Son to die for you. Imagine also that Son willingly dying in your place. How can you turn away from that kind of love?

So, yes, Jesus kept company with sinners, for which I’m grateful for since I was born a sinner as well. I’m even more grateful He loved us enough to not leave us as sinners, instead offering us His life-changing, life-giving love and redemption. And that, my friends, is the whole story.

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