Jesus: The Friend of Sinners

You know, I got to thinking about how some Christians are so ridiculous when it comes to dealing with unbelievers. And I thought about it this way: Would unbelievers call Christians the friends of sinners? Hardly. The sad fact is that Christians today see unbelievers as the enemy and not the precious lost sheep that Christ came to find. And don't think that unbelievers don't see it that way. Why do you think that in numerous surveys, the last person someone will go to when their marriage is in trouble is their pastor?! Or why do people equate the church with political activism and self-righteousness rather than grace? It is not because we have failed to proclaim the truth. Never before in the history of the world has a nation been saturated with as much Bible teaching as we have today in America. At least not since Israel at the time of the Bible. We are full of truth, but we are sorely lacking on Grace (John 1:14). Grace is simply treating people the way they don't deserve. It's loving them though they're unlovable (Romans 5:7-8), sticking with them when you are repulsed by their lifstyle (Luke 15:2), being patient with them even though they are stubborn in their unbelief (1 Peter 3:9). You know, kind of like how God was with me and you?

I work with youth (I'm currently looking for a permanent, full time youth pastor position) and love kids with all my heart. I've learned something rather amazing. You want to know what it is? Well, here goes: you simply will not get a hearing with teenagers until you can demonstrate that you are a "safe" person. A safe person is someone that listens to them and values them for who they are. A safe person is someone they can be themselves around. A safe person is one who accepts them as they are because that's the way God accepted us (Rom 4:5; 15:7). It is only when they are loved that they will be open to hear the message of truth from us and be changed by it. You say, "But we can't condone their lifestyle!" We don't. As a matter of fact, while we make clear that we don't condone their lifestyle, we make it as equally clear that we love them regardless of the choices they make. You say, "But that will lead to licence and sinful living!" Wrong. It leads, if you give it time, to transformation and Godliness! When you love a young person unconditionally, or anyone for that matter, and they internalize that love, you won't be able to keep them from loving back (1 John 4:19). Remember, John 3:16 starts off "For God so loved the world..." You have to start with love and grace, otherwise truth comes off like fingernails on a blackboard.

So I say that we do something novel as a church. I say we start "so loving" the world. Not its system, but its people. Not its lifestyle, but the souls of its inhabitants. And for those of you who think the unbelievers are our enemies - God loves His enemies. Jesus gave up his life for people who couldn't give a hoot about God. Maybe we should too. And maybe, just maybe, as we do "evil" things with them like listen to rock music, go to parties with them, laugh with them, dance with them, and watch movies (oh my) with them, they will see that Jesus is still the friend of sinners, and that it is He that is loving them through us.

Tom <><