This episode covers the start of Luke 15. The religious leaders get upset with Jesus because he is associating with “tax collectors and sinners”. In response Jesus tells 3 stories. The first two stories are the lost sheep and the lost coin.
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I’ve only heard your first podcast but am really touched and impressed and educated and appreciative! Thank you so much!
I was in a moral quandary with my boyfriend and would love to get your take on it.
My boyfriend had a friend named P., who had a wife and two little girls.
My boyfriend is an active alcoholic, and when we knew him, P. was an active cocaine addict. When P. drank, he was compelled to leave the house and find cocaine. He also brought friends into his house who did crystal meth while the children were there. My boyfriend wasn’t interested in drugs, but did accompany his friend finding drugs, and would drink himself to passing out.
My boyfriend and I used to socialize with P. and his family, until I just couldn’t stand it any longer. It seemed evil, to me, for P. to behave the ways I just described. And it seemed like P. only wanted to get my boyfriend to indulge in his addiction. I refused to visit P.’s house any more, and my boyfriend eventually stopped hanging out with him also.
Listening to your first podcast, though, I wonder if I was like a Pharisee in this situation, and my boyfriend was like Jesus. If I should have been more like Jesus.
I do believe Jesus would hang out with P. But am not sure Jesus would indulge in his own addiction with P.
Then again — maybe he would? Given the choice to sin with P. or avoid him, what do you think would be more what Jesus would do? How should I have behaved in this situation?
That’s a fare question and a good one to ask. If we right people off as useless, never will be useful, unlovable then we play the game of the Pharisees.
On the other hand, there is a different issue also. If I am a worse person when I associate with a certain person or a group of people and they are no better for my association then we bring no glory to God though that association. I think of the harsh words of Rev 2:18-29 where the church is being held accountable being tolerant. Now tolerance seems like a good thing but they were tolerating a woman Jezebel who was leading them astray into sexual immorality. When Jesus associated with sinners they changed not him. I believe he does want us to show his love to everyone but I also think that sometimes that love is a tough love that says I can’t associate with you like this.