Jesus Loves Sinners and Backsliders

love and tolerance

Today, we read and hear a lot about a ‘Jesus’ that loves unconditionally and never passes judgment on sin or the sinner. This is commonly referred to as ‘Tolerance’. (Today’s use of tolerance really means, “you can’t tell me that I am wrong!” and “You must accept me AND affirm that I am right!”)

Tolerance and unconditional love are very big issues in today’s post-modern society. Everyone wants to do whatever they want to do, without any restrictions, and without any judgment attached. The Bible calls this lawlessness, and every man doing what is right in their own eyes. The Bible also says that there is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof is death. (Judges 21:25, Proverbs 14:12, Matthew 24:12)

While tolerance and unconditional love terms are thrown around freely, there is an increasing attack on the Bible as the True Word of God, and on Christ as the True Son of God, and upon Christians as being nothing but intolerant, zealous, old-fashioned, out-dated hypocrites. While there are hypocrites in the church, not all are living a hypocritical life. It is true, though, that the church is full of sinners; for all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God. All Christ’s believers are sinners, saved by His Grace.

Anyone who is Born Again of the water and of the Spirit, per Scripture, starts all over again as a brand new baby in Christ. They have to separate themselves from the world to be able to grow from child, to young man or young woman, to mature adult, who rightly discerns the Truth of God’s Word. Unfortunately, just like in real life, or in any group of people, there are always those who are far less mature than they claim to be. Hypocrites are everywhere; and I can guarantee that you, yourself, have been one at one time or another. The hypocrite excuse does not hold water with God. The difference between a saint and sinner is that the saint knows he or she has sinned, repents (turns away from the sin), and tries to change by growing closer to their Lord. The sinner knows he is a sinner, and likes it; and no one ever better tell him he is lost and going to hell!

the backslider

While it is true that Jesus loves both sinners and backsliders (Backsliders is an old term used to describe those who used to be fervent for the Lord and have since turned away to live more for the world than for their God); we cannot ignore the fact that He also demanded obedience from those he forgave, and from those who chose to follow Him.

Jesus was accused by the religious Pharisees of eating and drinking with sinners. Jesus replied that those who were whole need not a physician, and that He had not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to REPENTANCE. (Luke 5:30-32)

Jesus forgave the woman caught in adultery, but He expected her to go and sin no more. (John 8:1-11)

Jesus healed a man who had an infirmity for 38 years, then told him, “Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” (John 5:1-14)

While it is true that Jesus ate and drank with sinners, it was not for a Holy God in flesh to defile His temple-body by living the life of a sinner, nor was it a statement condoning the sin of the sinner. Jesus’ message was always a message of love and forgiveness for those who left their old ways and followed His teachings, which would assure them of eternal life. Eating and drinking with sinners does not mean that He ‘frequented’ sinners’ normal places of sin. He went there to call them out, not to dwell with them in fellowship. How can light fellowship with darkness? Jesus is light, with no darkness in Him at all. People either came to His light, leaving their sins behind, or faded away into the darkness, where they were comfortable with their sins.

While it is true that he did not condemn the woman caught in adultery, he was not condoning or approving of her sin, but was giving her His love by instructing her that this lifestyle was not accepted in His Kingdom; “go and sin no more.”

While Jesus made the man whole from his infirmity of 38 years, the teaching was the same as for all others; “go and sin no more.”

I, personally, was hurt by those who preached a good message, but who could not get everyone to abide by the same set of rules. I left the organization and went independent, fellowshipping with other independent preachers.

In my confusion, I used this group as an example for justifying that which I chose to do, even though some of those things were outside the teachings of Christ. I became a hypocrite like the ones I thought I had left behind me. I have since, as Nebuchadnezzar, come to my right mind, and have rededicated my life to keeping the teachings of my gracious, forgiving, and long-suffering, Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus does forgive His believers that go astray from Him.

Peter denied the Lord three times; and after Jesus Resurrected from the dead, the first one He appeared to was Peter. He also had Peter repent and affirm His love for Him, three times. Peter went on to become an important leader in the early church. You can see him accomplishing a great deal for Christ, in the Book of Acts.

Jesus taught us that He walked the hills, looking for His lost and strayed sheep. He has 100 sheep, one goes astray. He leaves the 99 to find the one which is lost. This is the love He shows to those who deny Him and choose to live their own ways. He goes on to say, ”In the same way, this one sheep which is found, produces more joy in heaven by repenting, and returning to God, than over the ninety-nine others who are righteous, and haven’t strayed away!” (Luke 15:7) Was He loving the one lost more than those who didn’t stray? No, He was showing that even one soul lost in the wilderness of this world of danger, when rescued, when returned to the 99, that there is so much joy, that heaven itself overflows with the fact that a soul was rescued from hell fire!

Yes, Jesus loves sinners, and backsliders, but He still asks each to sin no more.

Just look at the few Scriptures on this subject listed below:

John 14:15, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”

John 14:23, “Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”

John 14:24, “Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me.”

I John 1:6-7, “So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth.” “But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.”

Jesus as Judge

Yes, Jesus is Love, but He also is Just. Christ is Mercy, but He also is our Judge. He is our Savior and our High Priest today, but soon He will be Our coming King of kings and Lord of lords. As your creator and giver of your daily breath and all your talents, skills, and blessings, He demands obedience to His Word, with love and worship, from your very being.

After all, what do you think Heaven and the New Earth are going to be like? Like today’s world? Where everyone is doing what they want to do and demanding that everyone accept and affirm that what they do wrong is right? Not a chance!

There are some people, and some behaviors, that Christ will just not allow into His Eternal Home. A home where there is continual singing and praising of God for all of His Glory and His Love and gifts to those who believe in Him, as He clothes us with spiritual bodies of ‘light’, fashioned like unto His Glorified body without flesh and bones and suffering.

Revelation 21:27, “Nothing evil will be allowed to enter, nor anyone who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty–but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”

Why don’t you make the choice today? Ask Him to forgive you and save you from yourself and this world of darkness, or ask Him to forgive you and refill you with His Holy Spirit and holy desires that agree with His Holy Teachings found in the Holy Bible.

David did, by crying out to His God that his sin was not hid from God, and asking God to “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)

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