Calling Sinners Not the Righteous - Luke 5:32

The beloved physician Luke shared how Jesus, “went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. And he left all, rose up, and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick”, and in chapter five and verse thirty-two of his book Luke shares how Jesus said, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” where we read:

I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

The verse reads, “I came not to call the righteous, ...” Luke began with the words, “I came not” or “Jesus did not arise and appear” “to call the righteous” which means “to invite, receive and salute people who are innocent, upright, virtuous and who keep the commands of God”. Luke shared how Jesus said He did not appear to “invite” people who are “upright and innocent” but the following type of people.

The verse continues, “... but sinners to repentance.” Luke added the words, “but sinners” which means “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding, moreover and people who are pre-eminently sinful, especially wicked, stained with certain definite vices or crimes and heathen” “to repentance” or “to change their minds, reverse their direction and have a compunction for guilt including reformation”. Luke shared how Jesus said He did not come to invite the “innocent”, but “the guilty wicked and pre-eminently sinful” people to “turn from their evil ways”.

When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn why Jesus came to the earth. He desired to “save” people from their “sinful ways”. People who believe themselves to be “righteous” or “okay” do not see a reason why they should give their lives to Jesus Christ, however, people who acknowledge that their ways, attitudes and actions are out of alignment with God's will know their need to have Jesus in their lives. One may ask, how do I know that I have “sinful ways” in me and need Jesus? Jesus gave us the standard when He said, “be you therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect” (See Matthew 5:48), and if a person is “perfect” in all their thoughts, ways, attitudes and actions, they do not need Jesus. No one except Jesus is “perfect”, (“All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” See Romans 3:23), and everyone is a “sinner”. People who “repent” and yield themselves to Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord” will have their “sins” forgiven and be granted “everlasting life” with God. Those who do not will find themselves eternally separated from Him.

Next time Luke shares how the religious leaders ask, “why do the disciples of John fast … but yours eat and drink?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".