In Bad Company

We, the contemporary church folks, have become great socializers with one another.  Not much different than the many Christians over the past century who have been good at “fellowshipping with fellow saints.”  We have become good at the avoidance of those who are not the same as us, the non-followers of Christ – historically called sinners. 

What is interesting is that Jesus was known as a friend of sinners.

Jesus joined those disrespected by and shunned by the religious crowd.  But, Jesus spoke of himself as “The Son of Man [who] came eating and drinking, and you the [religious crowd] say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners'” (Luke 7:34).  Are we indeed followers of Christ?  Are we a religious crowd that only marginally embraces those we deem immoral, a. k. a. sinners?

Would it hurt our stature in the church to be seen at dinner or in the home of someone other than church friends?  Remember, it was Jesus who “came to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10).  Should we be seeking the lost?  We do follow His lead, right?    

Just a thought,

Owen   

Read Luke 7:36-50, 19:1-10