Another post of #Thirty-three (original at 06/2007)
“But when Jesus heard {that}, he said unto them, They that be whole
need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what {that}
meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous,
but sinners to repentance.” – Matthew 9:12,13
Religious groups of Jesus’ day were outraged by the
fact that He is “friend of sinners”. The Pharisees, one of these groups are the
“righteous” that Jesus refers to in this text. The Apostle Matthew had given up
everything to follow Jesus and Jesus was later dinner at his house, many
friends sinners of Matthew were there too. The Pharisees were scandalized by
this situation. It was when Jesus summed up beautifully his mission on this earth.
He came for sinners, who were sick spiritually because of their sins. Those who
think they are well have no need to seek the doctor Jesus.
I was reflecting on this text for a long time and saw
that the present church has followed the footsteps of the Pharisees, unfortunately,
frequently. Lost sinners in the world are destined for eternal damnation,
because the messages “evangelistic” focus more hell than heaven. The good news
that Jesus had us to spread turn into bad news. Sinners feel so unworthy, who
prefer not follow Jesus by considering not just as good as the church. In the
meantime, in the temples, many of the Pharisees are acquitted, because the messages
are of hope and victory . The sins are forgiven by these infinite mercy and
grace of God, after all, we live in a time of grace. That is, for lost sinners
what matters is the law of the Old Testament, and for us, the saved, what
counts is the grace. The church then becomes the just and sinners become
patients. Well, Jesus came to call sinners, not righteous.
So you say, I approve the sin of the world? No! We just
cannot condemn sinners with their sin. Otherwise, we’d all be condemned.
Because we are sinners, that Jesus was come. If we were all just his coming
would have been unnecessary, but “For all have
sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23). The apostle
Paul so the continues: “Being justified freely by his grace through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus:”(Romans 3:24).
What about the church,
it is forbidden to preach a message of hope and victory, when there are so many
facing many difficulties and temptations? The answer is a definite no, again.
The problem is not to preach about victory, the problem is always preaching
about it and, worse, say that coming to Jesus Christ you will have all your
problems solved. We must make clear to the church that were provided sufferings
and temptations for Christians, the Bible itself. We will have moments of
victory, yes, but the difficulties are necessary to shape our character and
make it more similar to Christ, who said, “These things I have spoken unto you,
that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be
of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).
I conclude here my
simple mind, leaving a well-known text of the Bible so that, taking into
consideration what was discussed here, you make a new reflection on it, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost: {teach...: or, make disciples, or, Christians of all nations} Teaching
them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, Io, I am with
you always, {even} unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:19,20)
Stay with Jesus =)
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