“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.

I came across this on the internet and wanted to share it with you. It’s called “My Church” by an unknown author.

My church is composed of people like me. We make it what it is. It will be friendly, if I am. Its pews will be filled, if I help fill them. It will do great work, if I work. It will make generous gifts to many causes, if I am a generous giver. It will bring other people into its worship and fellowship, if I bring them. It will be a church of loyalty and love, of fearlessness and faith, a church with a noble spirit, if I, who make it what it is, am filled with these traits. Therefore, with the help of God, I shall dedicate myself to the task of being all the things I want my church to be.

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

And the devil will flee from you…

As a repeat sinner who struggles with sin on a daily basis, the thought of the devil fleeing sounds so, so, sooooooo good. Yes, I want that. I long for a day when all my thoughts and yearnings are pure and good. I long for a day when I can love God with all my heart, all my soul, and all my mind 24/7.

So, then, how can we live in such a way that the devil flees from us? There are two steps.

First, submit yourselves to God. Notice God did not say submit to your inner voice, or give into your heart, or follow your gut. If you want to see the devil fleeing, the first step is an ongoing, never-ending, until the day we draw our last breath surrendering and submitting to God.

The second step is to resist the devil. It’s not enough to submit to God. We need to keep resisting the devil. And just as it was with surrendering, the resisting of the devil is an ongoing, never-ending, until the day we draw our last breath resisting the devil thing.

Gee. I know. It sounds exhausting. But what are the alternatives? Should we give into the devil? NO!!! Should we give into sin? NO!!! Should we keep battling sin? No!!!

You see, the mere fact that we are battling sin and fighting the devil is the proof that God is at work in our lives. The proof of living under the influence of the Holy Spirit is NOT that we are sinless, but that we are submitting to God and resisting the devil. The fight against sin and the devil is the proof that God is at work in us.

So, keep fighting the good fight. Submit to God. Resist the devil.