Jesus ate with sinners

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This carries on from the thread about whether it's OK to fraternize with Freemasons...

Someone mentioned that Jesus ate with sinners, presumably as a justification for the local Knights of Columbus having an annual dinner with the local Freemasons.

This is something that always comes up as if it is the final answer to any question of how we are meant to approach sin and sinfulness in others. "Jesus ate with sinners", "Jesus didn't condemn the woman caught in adultery".

All true! But, it begs the question -- what did the sinners, what did the adulterous woman, then do? Tax collectors, prostitutes ... they all stopped sinning and followed Jesus! What did Jesus tell them to do "Go and sin no more!" He didnt' say, "Gee, isn't the steak nice. We should do this more often! I so enjoy it when we get together like this for a meal. So how's business in the brothel?"

The rich young man came to Jesus. He wanted to follow him. He said, "Lord, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Our Lord didn't say "Don't be judgmental", or "Just do what you think is right" or "Just love God!" He said "Keep all the commandments!", live a perfectly moral life. The young man said "Lord, I do all these things". He was a righteous, upright man who did not break the commandments. So Jesus said, "Give up everything you own and come follow me." and the Rich Man went away sad because he could not give up his attachment to material things.

Jesus constantly challenged sinners and righteous alike to live perfect holy lives in union with Him.

We are not followers of Jesus if we eat with sinners but don't also convince them to sin no more, or at least try to convince them....

-- Anonymous, June 22, 1998

Answers

Where is the question? the above sounds like a pretty good sermon to me!!! I love it!

-- Anonymous, June 25, 1998

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