We all have probably heard of Jesus as the friend of sinners, as the Pharisees called him in Matt. 11:19 and it was meant as an insult and in a derogatory manner, but it back-fired. None of us would be saved if he weren't a friend of sinners because that's what we all were and are. Praise the Lord he befriended us and saved us; we didn't befriend Him. There are two kinds of sinners, justified ones, and lost ones; but we're all sinners. They just referred to the sinners as a pejorative term that they didn't think applied to them. We must realize we have feet of clay and need salvation to be qualified for salvation: the qualification is that we realize we aren't qualified! Jesus said he came to "not to" call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." We must admit we are lost and in sin to be saved. We shouldn't look at the word sinners as "those guys" and should realize that when we point a finger at them, three are pointing back at us.
The Bible also says that in 1 Cor. 15:33 that "bad company corrupts good morals" and in Proverbs that a wise man chooses his friends carefully. We are only responsible for our own sphere of influence and shouldn't feel that we fall short if we can't go into a wild party and convert everyone. It is a sin to carouse and party in an unruly manner. Jesus may have been around drunks and gluttons but he certainly didn't condone their sin or sanction it. He said to the adulterous woman that he didn't condemn her, but he also said to "go and sin no more." We should dare to take courageous stands in the name of the Lord, but not be judgmental at the same time. It is the job of the Holy Spirit to convict of sin, not our job to make them feel guilty.
The Bible also says that in 1 Cor. 15:33 that "bad company corrupts good morals" and in Proverbs that a wise man chooses his friends carefully. We are only responsible for our own sphere of influence and shouldn't feel that we fall short if we can't go into a wild party and convert everyone. It is a sin to carouse and party in an unruly manner. Jesus may have been around drunks and gluttons but he certainly didn't condone their sin or sanction it. He said to the adulterous woman that he didn't condemn her, but he also said to "go and sin no more." We should dare to take courageous stands in the name of the Lord, but not be judgmental at the same time. It is the job of the Holy Spirit to convict of sin, not our job to make them feel guilty.
There is a fine line to walk between being some sinners friend and actually condoning their behavior. The Bible also says to "abstain from all appearance of evil," which means stay away from evil when it appears; to stay away from everything that may be construed as having the stain of evil would be impossible. We should call a spade a spade, as it were, or should not try to invent pretty names for our sins, because they are still sinning.
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Jesus was never out of his element or comfort zone, but we fall short and shouldn't think that we are called to save everyone. One believer might be "Jesus" to the prisoners, another to lawyers, another to bikers, another to travelers, but that is their sphere of influence and they would be unsuccessful and have no testimony to someone else's; for instance, I am a veteran and God uses me to witness to vets, but I would have no testimony to blue-collar workers in a Ford plant, that I couldn't relate to, unless I spent considerable time working there and developed a testimony.
- Soli Deo Gloria!
We all have to find the role in life God has assigned us, be faithful to that role, and not try to be something we're not. We should not limit ourselves to certain types of people, God brings all kinds of folks into our lives & we are always witnessing by our own example so always be prepared! I didn't mean to give that impression of limiting God's calling, but we are all designed for certain testimonies in my opinion, but that doesn't mean we are not used in other occasions and opportunities. "Be ready, in season and out...." "Always be prepared to give an answer....." We all have a calling, as it were, and must reach out to our circle of friends and sphere of influence whatever that may be.
I asked my pastor if I should feel guilty about not going downtown Saint Paul to witness because I felt I already had a ministry at the Vets Home. He said that I should witness here and that's a no-brainer. My mom always says to bloom where you're planted. In my estimation, some people are not suited to military life as an example and God will lead them elsewhere. We are all unique designs and creations of God and God has something specific for us to do and we should be faithful in that.
The objection may be raised of 1 Cor. 9:22 which says, "I have become all things to all people that I might, by all means, gain some...." N.B. that it says have become rather than "am" and when God leads us to someone (not us leading us) he has prepared that person and us for the witness. All things and all people doesn't necessarily mean all without exception but maybe all without distinction or all kinds of and not literally all in the without any exception in the absolute sense. Remember that Jesus opens and closes doors not us and he gets the credit.
Jesus was never out of his element or comfort zone, but we fall short and shouldn't think that we are called to save everyone. One believer may be "Jesus" to the prisoners, another to lawyers, another to bikers, another to travelers, but that is their sphere of influence and they would be unsuccessful and have no testimony to someone else's; for instance I am a veteran and God uses me to witness to vets, but I would have no testimony to blue collar workers in a Ford plant, that I couldn't relate to, unless I spent considerable time working there and developed a testimony. We all have to find the role in life God has assigned us and be faithful to that and not try to be something we're not.
ReplyDeleteWe should not limit ourselves to certain types of people, God brings all kinds of folks into our lives & we are always witnessing by our own example so always be prepared!
ReplyDeleteI didn't mean to give that impression of limiting God's calling, but we are all designed for certain testimonies in my opinion, but that doesn't mean we are not used in other occasions and opportunities. "Be ready, in season and out...." "Always be prepared to give an answer....." We all have a calling, as it were and must reach out to our circle of friends and sphere of influence whatever that may be.
DeleteI asked my pastor if I should feel guilty about not going downtown Saint Paul to witness because I felt I already had a ministry at the Vets Home. He said that I should witness here and that's a no brainer. My mom always says to bloom where you're planted. In my estimation some people are not suited for military life as an example and God will lead them elsewhere. We are all unique designs and creations of God and God has something specific for us to do and we should be faithful in that.
ReplyDeleteThe objection may be raised of 1 Cor. 9:22 which says, "I have become all things to all people that I might by all means gain some...." N.B. that it says have become rather than "am" and when God leads us to someone (not us leading us) he has prepared that person and us for the witness. All things and all people doesn't necessarily mean all without exception but my be all without distinction or all kinds of and not literally all in the without any exception in the absolute sense. Remember that Jesus opens and closes doors not us and he gets the credit.
ReplyDelete