“While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick'” (Matthew 9:10-12).
Jesus ate with sinners.
Jesus hung out with sinners.
Jesus welcomed sinners.
And sinners had no problems eating with Jesus.
Sinners had no problems hanging out with Jesus.
Sinners loved being welcomed into Jesus’ presence.
These things are absolutely true. And we are called to do the same. After all, we are followers of Jesus. Therefore, we ought to do what Jesus did.
But where our society and the modern church gets confused is to think that because Jesus ate with, hung out with, and welcomed sinners that Jesus was ok with their sin. Nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus accepted sinners just the way they are so that he can transform and change them.
Listen to what Jesus says, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.” The doctor has to heal, change, and transform sick people into healthy people. That’s what Jesus does.
Jesus ate with, hung out with, and welcomed sinners to call them to a transformed life. And when the church forgets that, we mess up the entirety of the gospel.
Praxis: Faith in Action 