(As part of a series entitled “Out of the Skillet and Into the Fire”)

John 17:16
“They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”

Last time we concluded our 2-part article, JESUS FRIEND OF SINNERS, by pointing out that we should get out of our comfort zones and let our light shine. Someone’s life could be dependent upon you letting your light shine! If Jesus was a “friend of publicans and sinners,” shouldn’t we also do the same?

First, I feel it necessary to point out that the use of the term “publicans and sinners” is just another way of saying outcast. Remember when Simon the Pharisee saw the woman at Jesus feet? He thought that if Jesus were a prophet, he would have known “what manner of woman” was touching him. So, the Pharisees were verbally cutting down both Jesus and these “outcast” sinners by using a common metaphor for their day “publicans and sinners” to drive their point home. We still use a similar derogatory metaphor to this day when we say “worse than a tax collector.” FYI: the definition of publican is a tax collector. Of course, I’m sure most of you already knew that.

So, we have Jesus making friends with all kinds of outcast such as: drunks, prostitutes and the local IRS agent. Again, I ask, should we not also do the same.

A.) □ YES?

Or

B.) □NO?

If I answer yes, then we should do what Jesus did and befriend sinners. Therefore, I am forced to ask, can I befriend sinners and not become entangled in sin again?

If I answer no, we should not befriend sinners like Jesus did: then I must ask, how do we advance the Gospel?

I am going to begin with reasons for saying NO.

Let me give you my two favorite reasons for choosing to answer NO.

1.) “Yeah, but that was Jesus befriending those sinners. I mean after all, he is God and I am not. I had better be careful. I might be tempted and fall back into sin.”
2.) “The Bible says, Come out from amongst the world and be ye a separated people!”

Well, that was short work and reason # 2 settles it and I haven’t even reached my 500 to 600 word limit yet. End of story: no need to go any further!

Err!!! Have you ever heard that record, CD or digital recording sound being played backward? We’ll hear it now, because we ain’t even close to finished! Remember we are calling this SERIES, “Out of the Skillet and Into the Fire” and it is us Christians who are being tried in the Fire, just like the 3 Hebrew Children.

Next week we will continue “IN THE WORLD, NOT OF THE WORLD” by beginning to examine the context of the scriptures we loosely referenced, examining why the correct answer is YES, plus ultimately and Biblically answering how to be In the World, Not of the World.