Mingling With Sinners

"And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him. And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? 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 9:9-13). My dear friend, are you discouraged because of your past mistakes and sins? Do you feel that somehow God cannot accept you because you have committed the worst of crimes?

I want to encourage you that it was basically because of you and I that Christ came to this world. Part of our opening text for today read: "I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." Beloved, it doesn't matter what you've done in the past, the Father's arms are always opened to welcome you into His bosom only if you will accept the sacrifice of His Son, confess your sins and repent from them.

Satan will keep painting you black before God and mankind, and even to your own self, but as far as you have accepted Christ and repented from your sins, God sees you as a brand new creature, who is washed clean by the atoning blood of Christ.

And so whenever you have repented from your sins, and you still hear a voice accusing you of those sins, please note that it is not the voice of the Holy Spirit communing with you but rather the voice of Satan; who is also known as the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10). Satan so magnifies our past sins so we may be discouraged and lose our hold on God. But the Lord encourages us to trust in His promises of forgiveness such as these ones: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

"As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us" (Psalm 103:12). Are you troubled because of your past? Just believe in these precious promises and experience the refreshing peace that comes right down from the throne room of God.

Stay blessed and keep shining for King Jesus.

Samuel Nyarko