Anonymous (via GotQuestions)
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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
The fact that Jesus is a friend of sinners means that He is our friend and is waiting for us to acknowledge His presence and availability. God's love for us is almost beyond imagining. When we consider Jesus' Incarnation-His leaving heaven to be born as a helpless human infant in order to grow and experience life among us-we begin to get a glimmer of the depth of that love. When we add to that His sacrificial death on the cross, it is staggering.
To be a "friend of sinners," Jesus subjected Himself to living in a fallen, depraved world, for we "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Despite our sinful condition, Jesus desires a relationship with us.
The phrase "friend of sinners" comes from parallel passages in the Gospels. "Jesus went on to say, 'To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other: "We played the pipe for you, / and you did not dance; / we sang a dirge, / and you did not cry." For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, "He has a demon." The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, "Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners"'" (Luke 7:31-34; cf. Matthew 11:16-19).
In this passage Jesus is pointing out the level of spiritual immaturity among those who considered themselves the "righteous" and the most "spiritual." They based their standing on their rigorous following of ritual, law, and external appearance instead of on a true understanding of God's heart and a relationship with Him. They criticized Jesus for spending time with the outcasts and "socially unacceptable" people, calling Him a "friend of sinners."
The story of the lost sheep shows the importance of the lost and vulnerable, those who have wandered away from the place of security. To God the lost are so important that He will search for them until they are found and brought back to safety. "Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.' Then Jesus told them this parable: 'Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?'" (Luke 15:1-4).
Jesus made it clear that He had "come to seek and to save the lost" (Luke 19:10). He was willing to associate with those who were, by the standards of the self-righteous Pharisees, not good enough. But it was those who were open to hearing Christ, and they mattered to God!
Matthew 9:10-13 relates another time when Jesus was ridiculed by the religious leaders for His associations. He answers them by saying, "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners" (verse 13).
In Luke 4:18, Jesus quotes Isaiah 61:1-2: "The Spirit of the LORD is on me, / because he has anointed me / to preach good news to the poor. / He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners / and recovery of sight for the blind, / to release the oppressed, / to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor." In order to preach the good news to the poor, the prisoners, the blind, and the oppressed, Jesus had to have some contact with them.
Jesus did not condone sin or participate in the destructive behaviors of the ungodly. Being a "friend of sinners," Jesus showed that "God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance" (Romans 2:4). Jesus led a perfect, sinless life and had the "authority on earth to forgive sins" (Luke 5:24). Because of that, we have the opportunity to experience a transformed heart and life.
Jesus, our friend, spent time with sinners, not to join their sinful ways but to present them the good news that forgiveness was available. Many sinners were transformed by His words of life-Zacchaeus being a prime example (Luke 19:1-10).
When Jesus' enemies called Him a "friend of sinners," they meant it as an insult. To His glory and our eternal benefit, Jesus endured such slights and became "a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24).
See http://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-friend-of-sinners.html
Andy Mangus
Supporter
In a slightly unique way of an answer I submit: Jesus is the "ULTIMATE FRIEND" in spite of our sins that we commit before we "call upon the name of the Lord; before we each were still in our sinful state of being lost; before we came to realize that we needed His grace and forgiveness unto eternal salvation while still alive here on Earth! It is only by the shed blood of Jesus on the cross; by His eternal sacrifice at Calvary! No one earns nor deserves salvation; it is only because He first loved us and gave Himself for us so we may have a home in Heaven with Him! Remember that John 3:16 tells us that "God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins..." God desired that all might be saved! He is the ultimate friend! In Him and Him alone is the power unto salvation! In contrast, a friend that is anyone other than our Lord, is just like you and me or anyone else! Since we are all subject to the wiles of Satan and his temptations, attacks, etc., we all have to admit that we still sin! And, we need to ask for forgiveness in our prayers and always tell Him that we love Him! So, therefore we ALL need Jesus and His divine LOVE, forgiveness and protection that He has given so abundantly! As long as we are still here on this 'temporary home' called Earth, we all need His guidance, His protection, His divine provisions, His blessings, and His Divine and Holy friendship in which He does "stick closer than a brother!" (Proverbs 18:24; John 3:16-19) Jesus came "to save that which was lost". Point being: We ALL need JESUS! "Praise God that we have a Savior! And, He is OUR BEST FRIEND! And, His name is Jesus Christ!" ~~~Andy~~~
Jack Gutknecht
Supporter
First, see the big picture. Jesus the Sinner’s Friend ‘A friend loveth at all times' (Prov. 17:17): ‘ A friend that sticketh closer than a brother’ (Prov.18:24) The Lord Jesus Christ is a Friend Who gave His all John 15:13 a Friend Who loves all classes Luke 7:34 a Friend Who loves at all times Prov. 17:17 "Friend Who never fails nor grieves us, Faithful, tender, constant, kind; Friend Who at all times receives us, Friend Who came the lost to find." -- Christopher Newman Hall a Friend Who loves in all states of soul Prov. 27:6; Hebrews 12:6 a Friend Who is needed by all Prov. 27:10; John 6:67-68 A.N. Come to Jesus, He will save you; He is the Friend of sinners; Then, when thou hast found the Savior, How bright this world will be! A Friend of Sinners by Wayne Dailey Senior Pastor, Bethel Revival Center Refrain Oh, to have no hope in Jesus! No Friend, no Light in Jesus! Oh, to have no hope in Jesus! How dark this world must be! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Luke 7:34 The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners
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