Jesus was a Friend of publicans and sinners is often used by Christians to live like the world and fellowship with unbelievers and approve of sin. As soon as you confront a Christian with certain behavior, Гріх, or friendship with the world, you often hear, “But Jesus was a Friend of publicans, prostitutes, і грішників, and had relationships with them. If He had relationships with them, we can also have relationships with unbelievers and accept and respect them for who they are and not judge them. Але це правда, was Jesus a Friend of publicans, prostitutes, and sinners and did He have relationships with sinners according to the Bible?
John the baptist preached the baptism of repentance for the remission of sin
Before Jesus came on stage, John the baptist was on stage. John the baptist was the forerunner of Jesus and prepared the way for the прихід Ісуса Христа. John preached in the wilderness of Judea the baptism of repentance. - сказав він, покаятися (having a change of mind which issues in regret and a change of conduct), because the Kingdom of God is at hand.
John the baptist preached with such a formality, gravity and authority, which must be heeded and obeyed.
Єрусалим, all Judea and all the region round about Jordan went to John the baptist. They were baptized by John in the river the Jordan while making a public confession of their sins (Матвій 3:1-6).
Івана Хрестителя wasn’t afraid and intimidated by the Pharisees and Sadducees when they came to his baptism. Замість цього, John confronted them with their conduct.
He called them a generation of vipers and called them to repentance so that they would bear fruit, which would meet the repentance. But they rejected the counsel of God, by refusing to be baptized.
John preached the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins and baptized the people that gave heed to his call (Матвій 3:1-12, Люк 3:9).
Among the people that gave heed to his call and were baptized were also publicans (that belonged to the house of Israel).
The publicans repented and asked John what they had to do
The publicans came to John and repented when they heard his message and заклик до покаяння for the remission of sins and were baptized.
The publicans asked John, що вони повинні були зробити. John answered them, that they should ask (exact) no more than that, which was appointed to them (Люк 3:12-13; 7:29-30).
These publicans repented of their sins and were baptized. Although they were still publicans, they didn’t belong to the unrepented publicans, які були жадібними, lovers of money, liars, cheaters and swindled people and continued their evil works, which were against the will of God.
Jesus called the lost of the house of Israel to repentance
Ісус прийшов на землю, while the Old Covenant was still in existence. He didn’t come in the first place for the Gentiles, but for the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Матвій 15:24).
Jesus came for God’s covenant people by natural birth and the carnal circumcision. The publicans, prostitutes, і грішників, who are mentioned in the Bible, belonged to the house of Israel.
Although they had the status of Gentiles, they were not Gentiles by nature. They deviated from the way of the Lord and entered a way, which was not according to the воля Божа.
The publicans, prostitutes and sinners did in the eyes of the Lord, and lived in Гріх. They belonged to the poor and the lost of the house of Israel.
The coming of Jesus didn’t change anything about the message of God that was preached by all the prophets and John the baptist. Jesus preached the same message of the Kingdom and also called the people, хто належав до дому Ізраїля, to repentance for the remission of sins.
Jesus didn’t go and fellowship with the Gentiles, but He went to the people of the house of Israel and preached the gospel to the poor. He healed the brokenhearted, preached deliverance to the captives, and recovered the sight to the blind, відпустити побитих на волю, and He preached the acceptable year of the Lord (Люк 4:18-19).
Did Jesus approve of sin?
Jesus didn’t approve of sin and didn’t fellowship with publicans and sinners, які належали до Божого народу, але наполегливо в гріху. He didn’t fellowship with the Gentiles either, as so many people assume and say. Because although Jesus died for the generation of fallen man, the mercy and grace of God came to the Gentiles after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and after the coming of the Holy Spirit (Акти 10).
Jesus didn’t fellowship with the publicans and sinners, хто належав до дому Ізраїля, out of selfish reasons with the purpose to have relationships with them. He didn’t become a partaker of their works and adjust the laws and values of the Kingdom of God to their desires and will.
Neither did Jesus adjust His message to what the people wanted to hear.
Jesus confronted God’s covenant people with their apostasy, sins and iniquities and покликав їх до покаяння and commanded them, Серед інших, щоб більше не грішити (тобто. Джон 5:14; 8:11)
The works of the (unrepented) publicans were evil and not good. Jesus confirmed that their conduct and works were not good in the following Scriptures:
Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, Іди і скажи йому свою вина між тобою та ним поодинці: Якщо він почує тебе, Ти здобув свого брата. Але якщо він не почує тебе, Потім візьміть з тобою ще один або два, що в устах двох -трьох свідків може бути встановлено кожне слово. І якщо він нехтує їх почути, Розкажіть це до церкви: Але якщо він нехтує почути Церкву, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican (Матвій 18:15-17)
Бо якщо ви любите їх, які вас люблять, Яку нагороду є? навіть не є державними? І якщо ви вітаєте лише своїх братів, Що ви більше, ніж інші? навіть не так? Будьте, тому ідеальні, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect (Матвій 5:44-48)
Jesus is not a Humanist
Jesus didn’t allow and approve sin. Not even the evil works of the (unrepented) publicans. Jesus wasn’t a Humanist that tolerated, approved and justified everything, включаючи гріх. Народ, who say this, don’t know the Bible; слово. They have created their own Jesus in their carnal mind, who looks exactly like themselves.
Jesus didn’t justify the evil works of the publicans and sinners. He didn’t have communion and fellowship with the publicans and sinners, who were not willing to repent and persevered in their sins.
That’s because sin is rebellion and disobedience to God and causes separation between God and man.
When Jesus took all the sin of humanity upon Himself, the Father left Him. У той момент, Ісус був separated from His Father. Sin caused separation, and sin still causes separation, despite the coming of Jesus Christ and His work of redemption.
The work of redemption doesn’t involve accepting sin and unrighteousness. But the work of redemption contains the redemption of the стара плотська людина, відкладаючи плоть; dying of the flesh, so that the new man be raised from the dead.
Jesus is the Light of the world
Jesus is the Light of the world. Коли Ісус ходив по цій землі, He testified that the works of the world are evil (Джон 7:7). Jesus confronted the people that walked in darkness with their sins and called them to repentance.
Jesus didn’t close His eyes. He didn’t say, «You are doing a good job, continue the way you live” or “You are circumcised and therefore you are saved, despite the works you do.” Neither did Jesus say, that God understood their evil works and accepted it.
Ні, Jesus called the people who sinned to repentance. He commanded them to put away their sins. Ісус сказав: «Не йдіть і не грійте більше».
This means that in the Old Covenant, the carnal man already had the ability to sin no more.
They could do something about it, namely to resist sin and sin no more. But it was their choice. And their choice depended upon the first commandment, namely if they любив Бога всім своїм серцем, розум, душа і сила (Повторення Закону 10:12, Марк 12:30).
Because if you love God with all your heart, душа, mind and strength, you will not persevere in sin, але ти будеш ненавидіти Гріх, Так само, як і Бог, Ісус і Святий Дух, and repent and remove the sins from your life.
When Jesus came and lived among the people, the light shown in the darkness.
The people of the house of Israel were confronted with their dark and defiled state and their evil works of unrighteousness. Because Jesus testified of their evil works and brought their works of darkness into the light, many hated Jesus. Але не всі, because there were also many people, хто повірив і покаявся (Джон 7:7; 15:18).
This also happened among the publicans, prostitutes and other sinners, хто належав до дому Ізраїля. When they met Jesus, who represented God and His Kingdom, they were confronted with their evil works and Покаялися of their sins on the basis of the words of Jesus and followed Jesus.
They were no longer sinners, but they believed, Покаялися, and were saved.
The call of Matthew the publican
As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, і сказав йому, Йди за Мною. And he arose and followed Him. І це сталося, що, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and His disciples: for there were many, і вони пішли за Ним. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto His disciples, How is it that He eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, Він сказав їм, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: Я прийшов не кликати праведників, а грішники до покаяння (Марк 2:14-17)
After these things He went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and He said unto him, Йди за Мною. And he left all, rose up, and followed Him. And Levi made Him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, кажучи, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. Я прийшов не кликати праведників, а грішники до покаяння (Люк 5:27-32)
And He went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto Him, and He taught them. And as He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, і сказав йому, Йди за Мною. And he arose and followed Him.
І це сталося, що, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and His disciples: for there were many, і вони пішли за Ним. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that He eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, Він каже до них, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: Я прийшов не кликати праведників, а грішники до покаяння (Марк 2:13-17)
In these scriptures, we read about the call of Matthew (also called Levi). Matthew was a publican; a tax-collector, but when Jesus came and he heard His words, Matthew obeyed His words, and immediately left everything behind and слідував за Ісусом. Matthew became one of the twelve disciples of Jesus.
When Jesus and His other disciples entered Matthew’s home and lay at the table with other tax-collectors and sinners, the scribes approached His disciples and asked Him, why their Master (Ісус) lay with tax-collectors and sinners.
Jesus heard their question and answered, that He didn’t come to call the righteous, а грішники до покаяння.
тому, Jesus didn’t compromise with the tax-collectors and sinners, He didn’t approve their works, but Jesus called them to repentance.
The repentance of Zacchaeus, the chief publican
Jesus entered and passed through Jericho And, Ось, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, і сказав йому, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all murmured, кажучи, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner And Zacchaeus stood, і сказав до Господа; Ось, Господи, половину майна я віддаю бідним; і якщо я взяв щось у когось через неправдиве звинувачення, Відновлюю його в чотири рази. І сказав йому Ісус, Цей день спасіння прийшло в цей дім, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. Бо Син Людський прийшов шукати і спасти те, що загинуло (Люк 19:1-10)
While Zacchaeus was sitting in a sycomore tree, Jesus called Zacchaeus. Негайно, Zacchaeus gave heed to His call and did what Jesus commanded him. Zaccaeus climbed out of the tree and received Jesus in his home joyfully.
When the people saw this, they all began to murmur. Because how could Jesus be a guest and enter the home of a sinner?
Zacchaeus stood up and told Jesus, that he would give half of his goods to the poor. But that was not all! He also promised, that if he had taken any thing from any man by false accusation, that he would restore him fourfold.
Jesus saw his sincerity and repentance, and therefore salvation came to his house.
Jesus said again, that He came to save the lost. He knew the sheep, who belonged to the house of Israel and Zacchaeus was a lost sheep, who Jesus found and brought back to the flock (Люк 15:1-10)
The Pharisees and Sadducees
The majority of the Pharisees and Sadducees looked pious, god-fearing man, Але насправді, they were puffed up and full of pride. Although they had an extensive knowledge of the written Word of God, they didn’t know their God and didn’t recognize Jesus, Син Божий.
They didn’t know the will and the heart of God, and were not familiar with His ways. тому, they didn’t have a heart of compassion for the lost of the house of Israel.
They didn’t confront them with their sins and didn’t call them to repentance out of God’s love. Ні, they were sons of the devil and walked after his will in darkness,.
Because they were sons of the devil, they let them go and allowed them to keep living in sin. While in the meantime, they judged them for the same evil works of unrighteousness, which they also did in secret, when nobody was watching.
The Pharisees and Sadducees were sense ruled and called Jesus a friend of publicans and sinners
The Son of man (Ісус) came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners (Матвій 11:18)
Then drew near unto Him all the publicans and sinners for to hear Him. And the Pharisees and Scribes murmured, кажучи, This man receives sinners, and eats with them (Люк 15:1-2)
The Pharisees and Sadducees saw Jesus as someone, who received sinners and ate with publicans and sinners. They called Jesus a Friend of publicans and sinners.
Проте, they were carnal and led by their senses. They didn’t know the heart of the publicans and sinners, but judged according to what they saw. They didn’t see publicans and sinners, who repented and had become righteous, but they considered them as publicans and sinners, who were still doing evil works.
Ось чому, they accused Jesus of being a Friend of publicans and sinners.
How is sin revealed?
In the first dispensation, God revealed sin to the carnal man by the law that represented the will of God. In the second dispensation, Jesus revealed sin to the carnal man by His presence and His words, which are in line with the law and the will of God. Jesus didn’t come to destroy the law and get rid of it, але виконувати закон. Jesus even adjusted some commandments of the law and made it harder, and added commandments.
In the third dispensation, в якому ми живемо, the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin and testifies of Jesus the Christ. During these three dispensations, the will of God has not changed but is still the same.
Although by the redemptive work of Jesus Christ the Old Covenant is replaced by a New Covenant, і становище занепалої людини has been restored in Christ, Ставши новим творінням; a new man in Christ, God’s will is still the same.
Jesus represented and testified of the will of God and called the people to repentance.
Дух Святий, who lives in the new creations, still represents and testifies of the воля Божа and confronts people with their sins and calls them to repentance.
Був Ісусом другом публіка?
Jesus didn’t call Himself a Friend of publicans, but the Pharisees and Sadducees called Jesus a Friend of publicans,. Just like they said about John, that he had and evil spirit. Which wasn’t true, but a lie. They based their opinion (that Jesus was a Friend of publicans and sinners), on the fact that they saw Jesus fellowshipping with publicans. But these publicans and sinners believed in Jesus Christ and had repented.
Крім того,, Jesus didn’t hang out and fellowship with them for selfish reasons.
Jesus didn’t initiate a friendship with the publicans and sinners and become a partaker of their evil works and justified their works. But Jesus called the publicans and sinners to repentance. Jesus hang out with former publicans and former sinners, who repented and removed their sins.
Jesus has never commanded His followers to compromise with the world, fellowship with unbelievers, build bridges with the world, and be united with the world.
As soon as someone approaches you regarding friendship with the world and the approval of sin and uses the pious lie, that Jesus was a friend of publicans and sinners. You can destroy this lie, by telling them the truth of the Word, which is that Jesus indeed fellowshipped with publicans. але…
Перш за все, they belonged through natural birth to God’s covenant people but were deviated from God, and Jesus came to bring them back. По друге, these publicans and sinners had repented and removed their sins.
Jesus came to call sinners of the house of Israel to repentance and not to become a partaker of the evil works of sinners and justify their works. Jesus was not a Promoter of sin але праведності.
If the world hates you, you know that it hated Jesus before it hated you
Про це написано: Якщо світ тебе ненавидить, Ви знаєте, що воно зненавиділо Мене раніше, ніж вас. Якби ви були у світі, Світ любив би його власний: але тому, що ви не у світі, Але я вибрав вас із світу, Тому світ вас ненавидить. Пам'ятайте слово, яке я сказав вам, Слуга не більша, ніж його Господь. Якщо вони Мене переслідували, Вони також переслідують вас; якщо вони зберегли слово Моє, Вони також зберігатимуть ваші. Але все це вони зроблять вам заради Мого Імені, бо не знають Того, Хто послав Мене. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. He that hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both Me and My Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated Me without a cause (Джон 15:18-25)
The world hated and still hates Jesus, because the Word testified of their evil works. The people that belong to Jesus and are born of God, will be hated by the world. Because the world only loves those, who belong to the world and do her evil works.
If you don’t belong to the world anymore, and not be a partaker of her works, вас буде ненавидіти світ.
That’s because the Holy Spirit lives inside of you, Who testifies of the evil works of the world.
Jesus commanded us to live a holy life according to God’s will (що також є волею Ісуса), і представляти, проповідувати і нести Царство Боже на землю.
That also includes the preaching of the cross and the call to repentance and the putting away of sins, so that the lost will be saved.
Jesus didn’t say to have fellowship with the world (грішники), be a partaker of their works and live the way the world lives in sin. But Jesus said to go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature, and to call them to repentance and teach them all things that Jesus taught (Марк 16:15)
But as long as Christians believe the lie, that it doesn’t matter how you live and that you are allowed to live in sin, and as a result of this lie, they don’t remove the sins from their lives, how can they preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and call sinners to repentance and the removing of sins?
How can Christians be a witness and call the people to repentance if they have not repented themselves?
How can Christians be a witness of Jesus Christ and call the people who live in sin to repentance if they have not repented themselves? And how can they expect from others, what they don’t do themselves? That’s why the preaching of repentance and the removing of sins is hardly preached anymore.
Christians are more focused on gaining as much knowledge as possible, надприродні переживання, walking in the supernatural, пророцтва, Бачення, signs and wonders and rather preach or hear self help or motivational sermons about процвітання, gaining wealth and become successful in this world.
Проте, with these sermons, you won’t enter the gates of heaven, because without sanctification no one will see the Lord (Євреїв 12:14).
That’s why it’s time to expose all those pious lies, that are wrapped in half-truths, with the truth of the Word and remove them and preach the Word of God, so that many souls will be saved from destruction.
Будьте сіллю землі’
