Sit with sinners
The Gospel of Luke records,
“After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.
Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them.
But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”
Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:27-32.
Many Christians I know are like the Pharisees. They like the Pharisees focus on the sin and “good Christians” don’t associate with sinners in their minds.
Such a thing is simply wrong. You will never win a soul for Christ by associating with Christians alone. You will never win a soul for Christ by concentrating on the persons sin.
Christians need to focus more on the salvation message than on sin. Christians need to realize that they must meet a person where they are at. They must show unconditional love toward all they come in contact with.
Christians need to as Jesus did sit with sinners.
We don’t know what Jesus said to the tax collectors and other sinners in Luke’s account.
We do however have the account of the apostle Paul preaching to some other sinners in Athens. Acts chapter seventeen records Paul’s speech to those gathered at the Areopagus. Paul had been speaking in the market place about his faith. What he said perked the interest of a group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. Who invited him to speak at the Areopagus.
In that speech Paul never mentioned sin, even though as he wandered through Athens and seen monuments and temples to a multitude of gods.
Paul concentrated on the salvation message. As a result some sneered at him. Some became believers. While others wanted to hear more.
This is how believers in our time should be. We should be using wisdom and speaking to non-believers in such away that even if they don’t accept Christ as their saviour. They will at least ask to hear more.
If you claim to be a Christian. A believer in Christ Jesus. How do you present the gospel message?
Do you present the salvation that comes through Christ Jesus, or do you constantly focus on the sins of those you are talking about?
Please think about it.
The Gospel of Luke records,
“After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.
Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them.
But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”
Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:27-32.
Many Christians I know are like the Pharisees. They like the Pharisees focus on the sin and “good Christians” don’t associate with sinners in their minds.
Such a thing is simply wrong. You will never win a soul for Christ by associating with Christians alone. You will never win a soul for Christ by concentrating on the persons sin.
Christians need to focus more on the salvation message than on sin. Christians need to realize that they must meet a person where they are at. They must show unconditional love toward all they come in contact with.
Christians need to as Jesus did sit with sinners.
We don’t know what Jesus said to the tax collectors and other sinners in Luke’s account.
We do however have the account of the apostle Paul preaching to some other sinners in Athens. Acts chapter seventeen records Paul’s speech to those gathered at the Areopagus. Paul had been speaking in the market place about his faith. What he said perked the interest of a group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. Who invited him to speak at the Areopagus.
In that speech Paul never mentioned sin, even though as he wandered through Athens and seen monuments and temples to a multitude of gods.
Paul concentrated on the salvation message. As a result some sneered at him. Some became believers. While others wanted to hear more.
This is how believers in our time should be. We should be using wisdom and speaking to non-believers in such away that even if they don’t accept Christ as their saviour. They will at least ask to hear more.
If you claim to be a Christian. A believer in Christ Jesus. How do you present the gospel message?
Do you present the salvation that comes through Christ Jesus, or do you constantly focus on the sins of those you are talking about?
Please think about it.
