On more than one occasion, the scribes and Pharisees complained that Jesus was “a friend of… sinners” (Luke 7:34), had “gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner” (Luke 19:7), and “receives sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:2). Jesus approached their complaint head-on, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Luke 5:32). To their egocentric and flawed way of thinking, they could not fathom the Son of God associating with sinners. It had escaped their attention that they themselves were sinners, as well.
If Jesus came to this earth and did not allow sinners to come unto Him, then no one could come unto Him! If Jesus came to this earth and did not allow sinners to come unto Him, then He could not have fulfilled the purpose for which He came! Jesus came for every sinner!
May we sing with earnest thanksgiving: “Sinners Jesus will receive: Sound this word of grace to all who the heavenly pathway leave, all who linger, all who fall…even me with all my sin!”