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, isono, or friendship with the world, uvame ukuzwa, “But Jesus was a Friend of publicans, izifebe, nezoni, 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. Kodwa kuyiqiniso lokho, was Jesus a Friend of publicans, izifebe, 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
Ngaphambi kokuthi uJesu afike esiteji, UJohane uMbhabhathizi wawusesiteji. UJohane uMbhapathizi wayengumbulali kaJesu futhi walungisa indlela ye Ukuza KukaJesu Kristu. John preached in the wilderness of Judea the baptism of repentance. Uthe, Phenduka (Ukuba noshintsho lwengqondo oluzozisola ngalo kanye nokushintshwa kokuziphatha), Ngoba umbuso kaNkulunkulu ususondele.
John the baptist preached with such a formality, amandla adonsela phansi negunya, okumele alalelwe futhi alandelwe.
eJerusalema, 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 (Mathewu 3:1-6).
uJohane umbhabhathizi wasn’t afraid and intimidated by the Pharisees and Sadducees when they came to his baptism. Kunalokho, UJohn wabaxoxa ngokuziphatha kwabo.
Wababiza ngesizukulwane sezinyoka wababizela ukuba baphenduke ukuze bathele izithelo, obezobhekana nokuphenduka. Kepha benqaba izeluleko zikaNkulunkulu, 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 (Mathewu 3:1-12, Luka 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 shayela ukuphenduka Ukuze kuxolelwe izono futhi kwabhapathizwa.
Abathelisi babuza uJohn, what they had to do. John answered them, ukuthi kufanele babuze (-lo ngqo) akusekho ngaphezu kwalokho, okwaqokwa kubo (Luka 3:12-13; 7:29-30).
Laba bathwebuli baphenduka ezonweni zabo futhi babhapathizwa. Yize babesabase emphakathini, Babengeyona eyabasebathelisi abangalawulwa, who were covetous, abathanda imali, abaqambimanga, Abapheki nabasolwa bahlasela abantu futhi baqhubeka nemisebenzi yabo emibi, okwakuphambene nentando kaNkulunkulu.
Jesus called the lost of the house of Israel to repentance
UJesu weza emhlabeni, while the Old Covenant was still in existence. He didn’t come in the first place for the Gentiles, Kepha izimvu ezilahlekile zendlu yakwa-Israyeli (Mathewu 15:24).
Jesus came for God’s covenant people by natural birth and the carnal circumcision. Abathelisi, izifebe, nezoni, Obani okushiwo eBhayibhelini, 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, okwakungeyena ngokusho kwe- intando kaNkulunkulu.
Abathelisi, prostitutes and sinners did in the eyes of the Lord, and lived in isono. Babengabampofu nabampofu bendlu yakwa-Israyeli.
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, owayengowendlu ka-Israyeli, Ukuphenduka ekuxolelwe izono.
UJesu akazange ahambe futhi ahlanganyele nabeZizwe, but He went to the people of the house of Israel and preached the gospel to the poor. Waphulukisa abanenhliziyo eyaphukile, washumayela ukukhululwa kubathunjwa, futhi wabuyisa ukubona izimpumputhe, ukukhulula abachotshoziweyo, Futhi washumayela unyaka owamukelekayo weNkosi (Luka 4:18-19).
Did Jesus approve of sin?
Jesus didn’t approve of sin and didn’t fellowship with publicans and sinners, ababengababantu bakaNkulunkulu, kepha waphikelela esonweni. Akazange ahlanganyele nabeZizwe noma, Njengoba abantu abaningi kangaka bacabanga futhi bathi. Ngoba yize uJesu afela isizukulwane sabantu abawile, Isihe nomusa kaNkulunkulu weza kwabeZizwe ngemuva kokufa nokuvuka kukaJesu Kristu nangemva kokuza komoya ongcwele (IzEnzo 10).
UJesu akazange ahlanganyele noMningi Nezoni, owayengowendlu ka-Israyeli, 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 wababizela ekuphendukeni and commanded them, phakathi kwabanye, ngeke usasona (i.e. UJohane 5:14; 8:11)
Imisebenzi ye (-guqukile) Abathelisi babebi futhi bengalungile. Jesus confirmed that their conduct and works were not good in the following Scriptures:
Ngaphezu kwalokho uma umfowenu ezophambane nawe, hamba umtshele iphutha lakhe phakathi kwakho naye ninodwa: uma ekuzwa, umzuzile umfowenu. Kodwa uma engayikukuzwa, bese uthatha kanye nawe oyedwa noma ababili ngaphezulu, ukuze ngomlomo wofakazi ababili kumbe abathathu wonke amazwi aqiniswe. Futhi uma edebeza ukubezwa, litshele ibandla: kodwa uba edebeselela ukuzwa ibandla, makabe kuwe njengendoda yakudala nomthelisi (Mathewu 18:15-17)
Ngokuba uma nithanda abanithandayo, linamvuzo muni? kabenzi njalo labathelisi? Futhi uma nibingelela abafowenu kuphela, wenzani ukwedlula abanye? ningenzi kanjalo nabathelisi? Ngakho-ke yibani ngabaphelele, njengoba noYihlo osezulwini ephelele (Mathewu 5:44-48)
UJesu akayena umuntu ongumuntu
UJesu akavumanga futhi avume isono. Hhayi imisebenzi emibi ye (-guqukile) abathelisi. Jesus wasn’t a Humanist that tolerated, kuvunyelwe futhi kuqinisekiswe konke, kuhlanganise nesono. Abantu, osho lokhu, don’t know the Bible; iZwi. They have wadala uJesu wazo Engqondweni yabo yenyama, Ngubani obukeka njengabo bonke.
Jesus didn’t justify the evil works of the publicans and sinners. He didn’t have communion and fellowship with the publicans and sinners, ababengazimisele ukuphenduka futhi bakhuthale ezonweni zabo.
That’s because sin is rebellion and disobedience to God and causes separation between God and man.
Lapho uJesu ethatha yonke isono sobuntu kuye, the Father left Him. Ngaleso sikhathi, UJesu wayekhona Ihlukaniswe noyise. Isono sabangela ukwahlukana, Futhi isono sisebangela ukwahlukana, despite the coming of Jesus Christ and His work of redemption.
Umsebenzi wokuhlenga awubandakanyi ukwamukela isono nokungalungi. Kepha umsebenzi wokuhlenga uqukethe ukuhlengwa kwe Indoda endala yenyama, Ngokubeka inyama; Ukufa kwenyama, so that the new man be raised from the dead.
UJesu Ungukukhanya Komhlaba
UJesu Ungukukhanya Komhlaba. When Jesus walked on this earth, Wafakazela ukuthi imisebenzi yezwe kubi (UJohane 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, “Wenza umsebenzi omuhle, Qhubeka Nendleleni Ophila Ngayo " noma "Usokile ngakho-ke uyasindiswa, Naphezu kwemisebenzi owenzayo.” Neither did Jesus say, that God understood their evil works and accepted it.
Cha, Jesus called the people who sinned to repentance. He commanded them to put away their sins. UJesu wathi: “hamba ungene futhi”.
This means that in the Old Covenant, Indoda yenyama isivele inekhono lokona.
Bangenza okuthile ngakho, okungukuthi ukumelana nesono nesono akusekho. Kepha bekungukukhetha kwabo. Futhi ukukhetha kwabo kuncike emyalweni wokuqala, okungukuthi uma wathanda uNkulunkulu ngenhliziyo yabo yonke, ingqondo, umphefumulo namandla (Duteronomi 10:12, Maka 12:30).
Because if you love God with all your heart, umphefumulo, ingqondo namandla, Ngeke uphikelele esonweni, kepha uzokwazi inzondo isono, NjengoNkulunkulu, UJesu noMoya oNgcwele, and repent and remove the sins from your life.
Lapho uJesu eza futhi ehlala phakathi kwabantu, ukukhanya okuboniswe ebumnyameni.
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, Abaningi bazonda uJesu. Kodwa hhayi wonke umuntu, ngoba kunabantu abaningi, who believed and repented (UJohane 7:7; 15:18).
Lokhu kwenzeka futhi phakathi kwabathelisi, Izifebe nezinye izoni, owayengowendlu ka-Israyeli. Lapho behlangana noJesu, Ngubani omele uNkulunkulu nombuso wakhe, Babebhekene nemisebenzi yabo emibi futhi waphenduka of their sins on the basis of the words of Jesus and followed Jesus.
Babengaseyona izoni, but they believed, waphenduka, and were saved.
The call of Matthew the publican
As He passed by, Wabona uLevi indodana ka-Alfabe ehleli lapho etholwe inkambiso, wathi kuye, Ngilandele. Wasuka wamlandela. Futhi kwenzeka, lokho, Ngenkathi uJesu ehleli enyameni endlini yakhe, Abathelisi nezoni abaningi bahlala futhi kanye noJesu kanye nabafundi bakhe: ngoba babeningi, bamlandela. Lapho ababhali nabaFarisi bembona edla nabathelisi nezoni, Basebesithi kubafundi bakhe, Kwenzeka kanjani ukuthi adle futhi aphuze nabathelisi nezoni? Lapho uJesu ezwa lokho, Wathi kubo, Bonke abanaso isidingo sodokotela, Kepha abagulayo: Angifikanga ukubiza olungile, Kepha izoni ziphenduke (Maka 2:14-17)
After these things He went forth, futhi wabona umthelisi, okuthiwa yiLevi, ngihleli lapho ngithola inkambiso: Wayesethi kuye, Ngilandele. Washiya konke, wasukuma, wamlandela. ULevi wamenza idili elikhulu endlini yakhe: Futhi kwakukhona inkampani enkulu yabathelisi neyenye ababehlala phansi nabo. Kepha ababhali babo nabaFarisi bakhonobu babubula abafundi bakhe, ethi, Kungani nidla futhi niphuza nabathelisi nezoni? UJesu waphendula wathi kubo, Abanakho konke abadingi ukuthi udokotela; Kepha abagulayo. Angifikanga ukubiza olungile, Kepha izoni ziphenduke (Luka 5:27-32)
Wabuya wabuyela eceleni kolwandle; Isixuku sonke sasingena kuye, futhi wabafundisa. Futhi njengoba edlula, Wabona uLevi indodana ka-Alfabe ehleli lapho etholwe inkambiso, wathi kuye, Ngilandele. Wasuka wamlandela.
Futhi kwenzeka, lokho, Ngenkathi uJesu ehleli enyameni endlini yakhe, Abathelisi nezoni abaningi bahlala futhi kanye noJesu kanye nabafundi bakhe: ngoba babeningi, bamlandela. Lapho ababhali nabaFarisi bembona edla nabathelisi nezoni, Basebesithi kubafundi bakhe, Kwenzeka kanjani ukuthi adle futhi aphuze nabathelisi nezoni? Lapho uJesu ezwa lokho, Uthi kubo, Bonke abanaso isidingo sodokotela, Kepha abagulayo: Angifikanga ukubiza olungile, Kepha izoni ziphenduke (Maka 2:13-17)
Kule Mibhalo, Sifunda ngocingo lukaMathewu (ebizwa nangokuthi uLevi). UMathewu wayengumthelisi; Umqoqi wentela, Kepha lapho uJesu efika futhi wezwa amazwi akhe, Matthew obeyed His words, and immediately left everything behind and walandela uJesu. Matthew became one of the twelve disciples of Jesus.
Lapho uJesu nabanye abafundi bakhe bengena ekhaya likaMathewu futhi belala etafuleni nabanye abaqoqi nezoni, Ababhali baya kubafundi bakhe bambuza, kungani inkosi yayo (uJesu) Beka nabathelisi nezoni.
Jesus heard their question and answered, ukuthi akazange eze ukuzobiza olungile, Kepha izoni ziphenduke.
Ngakho-ke, UJesu akazange ahlehlise nabaqoqi nezoni, Akazange avume imisebenzi yawo, Kepha uJesu wababiza ukuba baphenduke.
Ukuphenduka kweZacchaeus, Umthelisi omkhulu
Jesus entered and passed through Jericho And, bheka, Kwakukhona indoda egama linguZakewu, okwakuyinduna phakathi kwabathelisi, futhi wayecebile. Futhi wafuna ukubona uJesu ayeyikho; futhi akwazanga ukuthola umshini, ngoba wayengaphansi kwesiqu. Wagijima ngaphambili, futhi wakhuphukela esihlahleni se-aycore ukumbona: ngoba wayezodlula ngaleyondlela. Lapho uJesu efika endaweni, wabheka phezulu, wambona, wathi kuye, Zacchaeus, shesha, wehle; Ngoba namuhla kufanele ngihlale endlini yakho Futhi washesha, wehla, futhi wamemukela ngenjabulo. Futhi lapho bekubona, bonke babubula, ethi, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner And Zacchaeus stood, wathi kuJehova; Bheka, Nkosi, Ingxenye yezimpahla zami ngizinika abampofu; Futhi uma ngithathe noma yini evela kunoma yimuphi umuntu ngokumangalelwa ngamanga, Ngimbuyisela kane. UJesu wathi kuye, Lolu suku yinsindiso iza kule ndlu, Ese-somumuch njengoba naye eyindodana ka-Abrahama. Ngoba iNdodana yomuntu iseza ukuzofuna nokusindisa lokho okwakulahlekile (Luka 19:1-10)
Ngenkathi uZakewu ehleli esihlahleni se-Sycore, UJesu wabiza uZakewu. Eduze, UZakewu walalela ubizo lwakhe, wenza lokho uJesu akuyala ngakho. Zaccaeus climbed out of the tree and received Jesus in his home joyfully.
Lapho abantu bekubona lokhu, Bonke baqala ukububula. Ngoba uJesu wayengaba kanjani isivakashi futhi angenise ekhaya lesoni?
Zacchaeus stood up and told Jesus, ukuthi uzonikeza ingxenye yempahla yakhe kwabampofu. Kepha lokho bekungekhona konke! Wethembisile futhi, ukuthi ukube wayethathe noma yini evela kunoma yimuphi umuntu ngokumangalelwa ngamanga, ukuthi uzomvumisa kane.
UJesu wabona ubuqotho bakhe nokuphenduka kwakhe, Ngakho-ke insindiso yafika endlini yayo.
UJesu waphinda futhi, ukuthi weza ezosindisa okulahlekile. Wayazi Izimvu, owayengowendlu yakwa-Israyeli noZakewu kwakuyimvu elahlekile, who Jesus found and brought back to the flock (Luka 15:1-10)
AbaFarisi nabaSadusi
Iningi labaFarisi nabaSadusi babukeka benobuso, Indoda eyesaba uNkulunkulu, kodwa eqinisweni, Babekhukhumele futhi bagcwele ukuziqhenya. Yize babenolwazi olubanzi ngeZwi elilotshiwe likaNkulunkulu, they didn’t know their God and didn’t recognize Jesus, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu.
Babengayazi intando nenhliziyo kaNkulunkulu, and were not familiar with His ways. Ngakho-ke, they didn’t have a heart of compassion for the lost of the house of Israel.
Abazange bahlangane nabo ngezono zabo futhi abababizanga ukuba baphenduke ngothando lukaNkulunkulu. Cha, Kwakungamadodana kaDeveli futhi ehamba emva kwentando yakhe ebumnyameni,.
Because they were sons of the devil, they let them go and allowed them to keep living in sin. Ngenkathi kuze kube manje, Babahlulele ngemisebenzi emibi efanayo yokungalungi, abakwenza futhi ekusithekeni, lapho kungekho owabukelayo.
The Pharisees and Sadducees were sense ruled and called Jesus a friend of publicans and sinners
The Son of man (uJesu) came eating and drinking, futhi bathi, Bheka indoda yayinhle, kanye ne-winebibber, Umngane wabathelisi nezoni (Mathewu 11:18)
Wabe esesondela kuye bonke abathelisi nezoni ukuba bamuzwe. Futhi abaFarisi nababhali bayabubula, ethi, Lo muntu uthola izoni, futhi udle nabo (Luka 15:1-2)
AbaFarisi nabaSadusi babona uJesu njengomuntu, owathola izoni futhi wadla nabathelisi nezoni. Babembiza ngoJesu umngani wabathelisi nezoni.
Nokho, they were carnal and led by their senses. Babengazi inhliziyo yabathelisi nezoni, kepha yahlulelwa ngokwalokho abakubonayo. Ababonanga izidumbu nezoni, ophendukayo futhi waba olungile, Kepha bababheka njengabathenjwa kanye nezoni, ababesakwenza imisebenzi emibi.
Yingakho ke, Basola uJesu ngokuthi abe ngumngane wabathelisi nezoni.
How is sin revealed?
Esikhathini sokuqala, God revealed sin to the carnal man by the law that represented the will of God. Esikhathini sesibili, UJesu wembula isono endodeni yenyama ngokuba khona kwakhe namazwi akhe, ahambisana nomthetho nentando kaNkulunkulu. UJesu akazange eze ukuzoqeda umthetho futhi ahlukane nakho, kodwa ukugcwalisa umlayo. UJesu waze walungisa nemiyalo ethile yoMthetho futhi wakwenza kwaba nzima, futhi wangeza imiyalo.
Esikhathini sesithathu, in which we live, the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin and testifies of Jesus the Christ. Ngalezi zinto ezintathu, 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, kanye isikhundla sendoda ewile has been restored in Christ, Ngokuba yindalo entsha; Indoda Entsha KuKristu, Intando kaNkulunkulu isafana.
Jesus represented and testified of the will of God and called the people to repentance.
UMoya oNgcwele, ohlala endalweni entsha, still represents and testifies of the intando kaNkulunkulu and confronts people with their sins and calls them to repentance.
Ingabe uJesu wayengumngane wabathelisi?
UJesu akazange azibizile umngani wabathelisi, Kepha abaFarisi nabaSadusi babiza uJesu umngani wabathelisi,. Just like they said about John, ukuthi wayenomoya omubi nomubi. Which wasn’t true, Kepha amanga. 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.
Ngaphandle kwalokho, 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, ophenduke wasusa izono zabo.
UJesu akakaze ayale abalandeli bakhe ukuba bayekethise nomhlaba, fellowship with unbelievers, build bridges with the world, futhi ubumbane nomhlaba.
Lapho nje umuntu esondela kuwe maqondana nobungane nezwe nokwamukelwa yisono futhi asebenzisa amanga empilo, ukuthi uJesu wayengumngane wabathelisi nezoni. Ungabhubhisa la manga, ngokubatshela iqiniso leZwi, okungukuthi uJesu wabumbana ngempela nabathelisi. Kodwa…
Okokuqala nje, they belonged through natural birth to God’s covenant people but were deviated from God, and Jesus came to bring them back. Okwesibili, 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. UJesu wayengeyena umgqugquzeli wesono Kepha ngokulunga.
If the world hates you, you know that it hated Jesus before it hated you
Kubhaliwe: Uma umhlaba uzokuzonda, niyazi ukuthi bekuzonda ngaphambi kokuba lizonda. Uma beningabezwe, umhlaba ubungathanda okwakhe: kodwa ngoba anisibo abezwe, kodwa mina ngilikhethile emhlabeni, ngalokho izwe liyanizonda. Khumbulani izwi engalikhuluma kini, Inceku ayinkulu kunenkosi yayo. Uma bengishushisile, bayakunizingela nani; Uma beligcinile izwi lami, bayokugcina neyakho. Kepha zonke lezi zinto zizokwenza kuwe ngenxa yegama lami, ngoba abamazi lowo ongithumileyo. Ukube bengingaze ngize ngakhulunywa kubo, Babengenasono: Kepha manje abanasondo ngesono sabo. He that hates Me hates My Father also. Ukube bengingenzi phakathi kwawo Imisebenzi okuyinto enye indoda eyenzile, Babengenasono: but now have they both seen and hated both Me and My Father. Kepha lokhu kuza kudlule, ukuthi leli gama lingagcwaliswa okulotshwe emthethweni wabo, They hated Me without a cause (UJohane 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, izodonswa ngumhlaba. Ngoba umhlaba uthanda kuphela lezo, who belong to the world and do her evil works.
If you don’t belong to the world anymore, futhi ungabi ngumhlanganyeli wemisebenzi yakhe, Uzozondwa ngumhlaba.
Lokho kungenxa yokuthi umoya ongcwele uhlala ngaphakathi kwakho, Who testifies of the evil works of the world.
Jesus commanded us to live a holy life according to God’s will (okubuye kube yintando kaJesu), kanye nokumela, Shumayela Futhi Ulethe Umbuso KaNkulunkulu Emhlabeni.
That also includes the preaching of the cross and the call to repentance and the putting away of sins, ukuze abalahlekile bazosindiswa.
UJesu akazange athi ngokuba nobudlelwano nezwe (izoni), be a partaker of their works and live the way the world lives in sin. Kepha uJesu wathi kungena ezweni futhi ashumayele iVangeli kuzo zonke izidalwa, and to call them to repentance and teach them all things that Jesus taught (Maka 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, Babengayishumayeza kanjani ivangeli likaJesu Kristu futhi babize izoni ukuba baphenduke futhi basuswe izono?
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, abangazenzi bodwa? 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, okuhlangenwe nakho okungaphezu kwemvelo, Ukuhamba Ngaphezulu Kwemvelo, iziprofetho, imiqondo, signs and wonders and rather preach or hear self help or motivational sermons about ukuchuma, Ukuthola ingcebo futhi uphumelele kulomhlaba.
Nokho, with these sermons, ngeke ungene emasangweni ezulu, ngoba ngaphandle kokungcweliswa akekho ozobona iNkosi (amaHebheru 12:14).
That’s why it’s time to expose all those pious lies, that are wrapped in half-truths, Ngeqiniso leZwi bese ubasusa futhi ushumayele izwi likaNkulunkulu, Ukuze imiphefumulo eminingi iyosindiswa ekubhujisweni.
‘Yibani usawoti womhlaba’
