Did Jesus hang out with "sinners"?
As a means of justifying one’s questionable social life or friend-group, I’ve heard people say, “Well, Jesus hung out with sinners, so I guess it’s okay for me to do the same.” Where does that mindset actually come from? It’s based on the account of Jesus and His disciples eating dinner at Levi’s house.
Let’s check it out…
“As He walked along, He saw Levi…sitting in the tax collector’s booth. “Follow Me,” Jesus said, and Levi got up and FOLLOWED Him.” (Mark 2:13)
Levi became a follower of Christ that day. Jesus went to Levi’s house for dinner. Levi was a new convert.
While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with Him and His disciples for there were MANY who FOLLOWED HIM.” (Vs. 14-15)
This happened while…
Jesus was travelling throughout Galilee preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons” (Mark 1:39) - not “hanging out having a good time”.
When the Pharisees accused Him of “hanging out'“ with sinners, JESUS replied, “It is not the healthy who need a Doctor, but the sick. I have come not TO CALL the righteous but sinner.” (V.17)
It’s quite clear, when read in context, that Jesus didn’t “hang out with sinners”. That’s a twisting of what the passage actually says.
We are called to the lost to lovingly share the Good News of Jesus Christ and make disciples; not to hang out and engage in worldly behavior, but rather to lovingly LEAD THEM OUT of the worldliness to Jesus.
We have ONE purpose when we are with unbelievers - to humbly and lovingly minister; to preach (in words and behavior) the Gospel of Jesus Christ and show them the way (to follow).
Yes we go into the world, but it is to let the Light of the World shine through us as we share Jesus and LEAD the lost OUT of the darkness and into His glorious light.
“Let your LIGHT (Jesus) so shine before men that they may see your GOOD works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)
I encourage you to go ahead… “go into all the world”, just do it to share the hope of Christ and model a life of purity. Pursue holiness as His Word commands we must do in order to have a personal relationship - and be the light that leads others out of the dark and into the light of His saving grace! Don’t be like those who have no hope and look for pleasure in the world - it will only end badly. Instead, find your pleasure in Christ. Yes, we should have friends who do not know Christ as it is our mission to love everyone and model for them what life in Christ is. Find strong friendship with fellow believers and the local church, and together be the salt and light the world is desperately seeking for in all the wrong places.
“You (LORD) make known to me the path of LIFE; You fill me with joy IN YOUR PRESENCE, and at YOUR right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11) (Caps added for emphasis)