- Feb 5, 2002
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Matthew, Zaccheus, Mary Magdalene, the woman at the well, the one caught in adultery, the sinful woman at the house of Simon the Pharisee, tax collectors, sinners, and Samaritans: the list of first-century undesirables — named and unnamed — is long. And yet, Jesus of Nazareth was seen with them all. In fact, Jesus made a habit of associating with lowlifes. So much so that sincere and upstanding Jews could not overlook it.
But when they challenged Christ openly about it, he challenged them in return. “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Lk 5:31-32). “Today salvation has come to this house” (Lk 19:9). “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone” (Jn 8:7). “The one to whom little is forgiven loves little” (Lk 7:47).
Unlike the other religious teachers of his time, Jesus did not treat people according to their merit. Instead, he separated sinners from their sins. That is, after all, what a savior must do. Separating the sinner from his sins is, in the basic sense, the definition of salvation.
Loving sinners is hard. That’s why so few of us commit ourselves to doing it. Even more, there are plentiful facsimiles and alternatives that demand much less of us. Two-thousand years ago, it was much easier for people of faith to keep sinners at a safe distance and tell themselves that holiness and virtue required them to do this. Sinners were the spiritual equivalent of lepers. Anyone who associated with them was risking contamination. But there was also an element of pride in play. Those who kept the law were likely to consider themselves superior to those who did not. For these, Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and the publican must have been jarring.
Continued below.
But when they challenged Christ openly about it, he challenged them in return. “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Lk 5:31-32). “Today salvation has come to this house” (Lk 19:9). “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone” (Jn 8:7). “The one to whom little is forgiven loves little” (Lk 7:47).
Unlike the other religious teachers of his time, Jesus did not treat people according to their merit. Instead, he separated sinners from their sins. That is, after all, what a savior must do. Separating the sinner from his sins is, in the basic sense, the definition of salvation.
Loving sinners is hard. That’s why so few of us commit ourselves to doing it. Even more, there are plentiful facsimiles and alternatives that demand much less of us. Two-thousand years ago, it was much easier for people of faith to keep sinners at a safe distance and tell themselves that holiness and virtue required them to do this. Sinners were the spiritual equivalent of lepers. Anyone who associated with them was risking contamination. But there was also an element of pride in play. Those who kept the law were likely to consider themselves superior to those who did not. For these, Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and the publican must have been jarring.
The saving grace of conversion
Continued below.
Loving sinners while admonishing sin
Jesus loved sinners without excusing sin, showing us that true love requires sacrifice and a willingness to confront sin.