Jesus sat with sinners; He didn’t sin with them. Know the difference.
Have you ever noticed how Jesus was often found in the company of sinners? Tax collectors, prostitutes, and other undesirables were often seen in His presence. But what does that mean for us? Is it okay to spend time with people of questionable character? The answer to this is a resounding yes! Jesus taught us to love and accept everyone and to show them the same grace He showed us. However, there is a difference between Jesus sitting with sinners and Jesus sinning with them. Knowing and understanding the difference is vital to living a life of righteousness and faith.
Matthew wanted to throw a banquet to honor Jesus. So he invited Jesus to his home for dinner, along with many tax collectors and other notable sinners. While they were all sitting together at the table, the Jewish religious leaders and experts of the law complained to Jesus’ disciples, “Why would you defile yourselves by eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners? Doesn’t Jesus know it’s wrong to do that?” Jesus overheard their complaining and said, “Who goes to the doctor for a cure? Those who are well or those who are sick? I have not come to call the ‘righteous,’ but to call those who fail to measure up and bring them to repentance.“
Luke 5:29-32
What does it mean to sit with sinners?
A sinner is defined as anyone who has rebelled against God and His word. In other words, we are all considered a sinner because we have all sinned and have yet to be given our resurrected bodies cleansed of our sinful nature. According to the Bible, we have all sinned and have fallen short of God’s glory. Sinners live lives contrary to the perfect will God had for our lives and since we were all born sinners. However, for the purpose of this article. when Jesus sat with sinners, he sat with men and women that did not try to hide the fact they were sinners. Yet, He didn’t condemn them or pass judgment on them. Instead, He listened to their stories, understood their circumstances, and comforted them by sharing His love and grace. He offered them hope and salvation through His death and resurrection. In essence, Jesus sat with sinners to show them that He cares and that He doesn’t view them as evil or unworthy of His love.
Why did Jesus associate with sinners?
Jesus spent time with sinners because He wanted to show His love to them. He wanted to offer them hope and salvation. He didn’t judge them based on their actions or reputations. Instead, He viewed them as people of worth and value because each one is a creation of the Almighty. Jesus came to the earth not to be served but to serve others, regardless of their status in life or their sinfulness. He saw all people as equal in His eyes and treated them as such. Jesus loved His Father, and His Father loved all of humanity. Therefore, He sent Jesus to be the atoning sacrifice that would save all of us from our sinful ways and transform us into a new creation.
What does the Bible say about spending time with sinners?
The Bible tells us that we should love one another and treat everyone with kindness and respect, regardless of their status in life or personal beliefs. We are commanded to have a heart of compassion for everyone, irrespective of their shortcomings. Am I saying that we should befriend everyone and associate with those who don’t share our beliefs? No, not necessarily. We must use wisdom and discernment when choosing who we spend time with, but we should never be ashamed to associate with others or to share God’s love with them. We should show them the same grace and mercy that God has shown us. The Bible also says that we are to rebuke sinners and pray for them to turn away from their evil ways. However, we are not to ostracize them or ignore them as if they don’t exist.
What is the difference between Jesus “sitting with sinners” and “sinning with them”?
There is a difference between Jesus sitting with sinners and sinning with them. To sin with someone means to partake in their actions or to participate in their sins. When Jesus spent time with sinners, He didn’t participate in their sinful actions. He didn’t pick up a prostitute’s occupation or drink with a tax collector who was also a heavy drinker. He didn’t do anything that would make Him less than what He was, a perfect and sinless Son of God. Instead, He offered them hope and salvation. He urged them to turn away from their sinful ways and live a new and righteous life by accepting His gift of grace. Jesus sat with sinners, but He didn’t sin with them. He did what was right and just at all times, always living a life of purity and integrity.
How can we show grace and love to sinners without condoning their sins?
This is a tricky balance. We must show sinners and nonbelievers the same love and grace that Jesus showed us. We must show them that they aren’t less than or unworthy of God’s love. We must show them that they are still valuable and worth God’s time and effort, even if they reject His grace. We should be friendly toward those who don’t believe as we do and show them love and kindness, but we must also be careful not to condone their sinful actions and beliefs. This is where wisdom and discernment are essential. We can’t let our emotions take over and cause us to be foolish. Instead, we must use our heads and our hearts to do what is right and just.
What are the spiritual dangers of associating with sinners?
The main spiritual danger of associating with sinners is that we will become like them. We will begin to share in their sins, which will cause us to lose God’s grace and put us in danger of eternal damnation. We will also risk being bad examples to those who are watching us and following us. Children and youth who look up to us and want to be like us will likely adopt our behavior and become like the people we associate with. We must be careful to choose our companions wisely. We must make sure that we are spending time with people who will edify and build us up instead of tearing us down and leading us astray.
How can we be a positive influence to those we associate with?
We can be a positive influence to those we associate with by following the example Jesus set for us. We can show others God’s love by extending our friendship to them and treating them with kindness and respect. We can help them see the importance of living a righteous life by setting a good example for them and sharing the Good News of the Gospel with them. We can share what we have with them and offer guidance and support when they need it. Above all, we can be positive influences to the people in our lives by remaining humble and not letting our pride get in the way. We can stay out of trouble and be the best person we can be without letting our desires get the best of us.
What can we learn from Jesus’s example of associating with sinners?
We can learn many things from Jesus’s example of associating with sinners. First, we can learn to love others unconditionally and without regard for their status in life. We can learn to accept others as they are and not judge them based on their personal beliefs and actions. We can be examples of humility and grace and show others the love of God through us. We can also learn to trust God and remember that He is in control even when we find ourselves in difficult situations. Even though Jesus spent time with sinners, He never let them lead Him astray. He remained true to His calling and faithful to His Father until the very end.
What can we do to ensure we don’t become like those we associate with?
To ensure we don’t become like those we associate with, we must maintain a healthy distance from them. We mustn’t become too close or too friendly with them. We mustn’t let our emotions get the best of us and cause us to become blinded by their actions and words. We must use wisdom and discernment to choose who we spend time with and who we let into our lives. We must remember that there is a difference between sitting with sinners and sinning with them. And most importantly, we must remain focused on our purpose in life and keep our eyes on the prize.
What is the takeaway message?
The takeaway message is that spending time with sinners doesn’t make us sinners. Sinning is a conscious and deliberate choice. It’s something we do when we choose to disobey God and ignore His word. Spending time with sinners doesn’t mean we have to partake in their evil actions or agree with their sinful beliefs. It means we are friendly and kind to them and show them the love and grace that Jesus showed us.
