Did Jesus "Hang Out" with Sinners? Not Really

How often have you heard someone say, “Jesus hung out with sinners”?

 

“Hanging out” typically means we’re enjoying someone's company with no particular agenda. And that reflects the kind of Jesus many people want, a buddy who accepts them as they are, never judging them. 

But Jesus always had a godly agenda, no matter who He met with.

 

For example:

When Jesus visited Zacchaeus and his sinful friends, His mission was to call sinners to repentance, and there were dramatic results (Luke 19:1-10).

When Jesus spent time with Matthew and a crowd of ungodly sinners, His purpose was “to call sinners” (Matthew 9:10-13).

When Jesus spoke with the woman at the well, He wasn't simply chatting. He confronted her with her sinful lifestyle and shared the gospel (John 4:4-42).  

In fact, a crowd once asked Jesus to hang out with them, and He said He couldn't because His mission was to preach the gospel (Luke 4:42-43). 

 

✓ Pharisees tried to discredit Jesus as sinful by claiming He hung out with sinners. 

✓ The modern world tries to define Jesus as popular and non-confrontational by saying He hung out with sinners. 

 

But the real Jesus said this to His unbelieving brothers: “The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil” (John 7:7).

 

Jesus didn't come to hang out. He came to hang on a cross and save our souls from evil (John 15:13).

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For more insights:

Saving Grace versus Saving Face...a true story about my husband

Spiritually Weak People Don't Repent

Claiming that Sin Is No Big Deal

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