{"id":428784,"date":"2024-10-17T04:00:26","date_gmt":"2024-10-17T11:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/livingwaters.com\/?post_type=episode&p=428784"},"modified":"2024-10-17T11:50:30","modified_gmt":"2024-10-17T18:50:30","slug":"what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-friend-of-sinners","status":"publish","type":"episode","link":"https:\/\/livingwaters.com\/es\/episode\/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-friend-of-sinners\/","title":{"rendered":"Ep. 298 – What Does It Mean to Be a Friend of Sinners?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ray, E.Z., Mark, and Oscar start this conversation by talking about Luke 7:34 and how those mocking Jesus called Him a friend of sinners as an insult. Yet, as believers, we know this to be a blessing. Jesus being a friend of sinners is central to our hope\u2014if He wasn\u2019t, we would be doomed. There is a blindness in sin that leads people to view themselves through their own standard, not God\u2019s. Some resist confessing their sin, but Jesus calls us to come as we are, not try to fix ourselves first.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A true friend of sinners pleads with the lost to be right with God. While people speak of Jesus’ love, that doesn\u2019t mean He ignored sin. He came with compassion, yet without compromising truth. No one can out-sin the grace of God. However, there is a lack of balance when we help others without sharing the gospel. Ministries often experience drift away from their original mission when they lose sight of this truth. The Greek word *philos* means a dear friend, and that\u2019s what Jesus was\u2014even to tax collectors and Pharisees. Though He was compassionate, He never compromised. Jesus\u2019 friendship with sinners, like Zacchaeus, wasn\u2019t approval of their sin but a call to repentance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We need to emulate Christ\u2019s example as we engage the world. In Mark 6, Jesus taught and fed a multitude, combining good works with the gospel. We must do both. It\u2019s easy to drift to the extremes of either isolating ourselves from the world or over-compromising to fit in. Jesus showed us how to engage with the world without compromising our beliefs. He was a friend of sinners but not of sin. The story of the rich young ruler in Mark 10 shows that even when people walk away, we must still give them the truth in love.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The guys talk about love as action\u2014it costs us time, talent, and treasure. There\u2019s a difference between being a friend of sinners and being a friend of the world. Relationships with non-believers are not dangerous if approached with purpose. Being around non-believers allows us to share the gospel and friendships with believers allow us to grow together in faith. We should always be rich in good works, yet maintain tension when interacting with the fallen world. If we are not bothered by their lost state, we should check our hearts. As believers, we were once dead in our sins, which should stir a desire in us to reach the lost. Ignorance of Scripture may lead some to falsely believe Jesus is their friend, but without repentance, they will face God’s judgment. This truth must drive our mission to faithfully proclaim the gospel.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jesus being a friend of sinners is a blessing because His compassion leads sinners to repent. The guys emphasize the importance of balancing good works with gospel proclamation, engaging the world with love while maintaining a commitment to God’s standards. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":402074,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","tags":[12074,12128,12026,81,12129],"post_series":[],"podcast_series":[11652],"speaker":[11188,11189,11190,11187],"podcast_topics":[12071,12127,11211,11302,11415],"class_list":["post-428784","episode","type-episode","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-compassion","tag-friend","tag-good-works","tag-gospel","tag-sinners","podcast_series-season-3","speaker-emeal-zwayne","speaker-mark-spence","speaker-oscar-navarro","speaker-ray-comfort","podcast_topics-compassion","podcast_topics-friend","podcast_topics-good-works","podcast_topics-gospel","podcast_topics-sinners","entry","has-media"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nEp. 298 - What Does It Mean to Be a Friend of Sinners? - Living Waters<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Jesus being a friend of sinners is a blessing because His compassion leads sinners to repent. 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