He Ate with Publicans and Sinners – Part 3
What do we learn from Jesus’ eating with publicans and sinners? We should be telling sinners about Jesus. More than anything else, they need the power of the gospel (1 Cor.6:9 11). We should focus our efforts on bringing them salvation through the message of repentance and love, not through societal shunning and isolation. This means that we need to spend time with them (as did Jesus) to call them to repentance.
We should not criticize those who are trying to do such. This displays a Pharisaical attitude toward the lost. I’m opposed to murder, but I want murderers to repent and be saved. I’m opposed to adultery, but I want the adulterer to repent and be saved. I’m opposed to homosexuality, but I want homosexuals to repent and be saved.
Sometimes, we must go where these people are to get the message to them. I’ve visited prisons to preach to murderers. I’ve also talked personally with adulterers and homosexuals about the gospel. These are difficult conversations to have, but if we oppose all association no matter what, we are saying that certain people are not worthy of the gospel. God is no respecter of persons (Rom.2:11; Acts 10:34). We should not be either.
We have a great challenge to take the gospel to the lost. We should support those doing the work. Remember the words of Paul the apostle to the evangelist Timothy, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief” (1 Tim.1:15). Let us obey our Master; go into the world, and preach the gospel (Matthew 28:19, 20).
God bless you, and I love you.
Kevin Cauley