How many of us might have responded
to the invitation of Christ during the sing
ing
of “Just as I am without one
plea…”? We knew that we had to come from where we were
to where Jesus wants to be. When we look at His life while
He was here on earth, we see that that’s what Jesus did. He
met people where they were. Now, He didn’t want them to
remain, there – He
wanted to bring them to where He
is. The religious leaders of His day insisted that people
become righteous before
they would have anything to do with them. But Jesus
didn’t! He went to them with love, concern, teaching, and
the offer of salvation, while they were still in their sins.
Then He brought those who would,
out of their sins, and to salvation in Him.
Now, that got Him in big trouble
with the Scribes and Pharisees, but He didn’t care.
He knew that in order for sinners to understand His love,
and His desire for them to follow Him, He had to go where
they were, and He did if often. For example, He purposely
went into both Levi’s and Zacchaeus’ homes for “table
fellowship” (acceptance back then). He did not go there to
condone or
encourage
their sins. He did not “contextualize” the truth (make
scripture fit His situation). Neither did He “dumb down the
gospel.” He did,
however, go to them because He loved them and wanted them to
be saved! Notice Luke 5: 27After
these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi,
sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me."
28So he left
all, rose up, and followed Him. 29Then
Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And there were
a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down
with them. 30And
their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His
disciples, saying, "Why do You eat and drink with tax
collectors and sinners?" 31Jesus
answered and said to them, "Those who are well have no need
of a physician, but those who are sick.
32"I have
not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."
Sometimes I have the same problem
that the Scribes and Pharisees had. I want people to
become “as righteous as I” before I will have any
association with them, and even before I help them become
righteous (that doesn’t make much sense, does it?). And
like them, that is in my spiritual DNA. I was taught to
love fellowship with good Christian people, and I do. I was
taught that “evil companions corrupt good morals.”
And that is true. But Jesus knew those principles, too; so
why did He “violate” those “rules”? It is because He was
mature enough spiritually, and confident enough in His own
commitment to righteousness to know that He would not allow
Himself to be adversely
affected by His associations with sinners… that His “good
morals” would not be corrupted because He was not going
to participate with them
in their sin. His sole purpose was to let them understand
how much He loved them, and lead them
out of their sin.
Can’t I be so determined? Yes. In
fact, I believe that He calls me to that very thing! He is
my example to follow. Now, in my weaknesses, which He did
not have, I must be careful to keep my commitment strong.
But if a sinner knows why
I am coming to him on his “turf,” the proper stage will be
set, just as it was with Jesus.
Since Jesus came to me “Just As I
Am,” I need to go to others “where they are” and try to
bring them to “where He is.” How about
you?
