Jesus hung out with hookers and crooks.

     Recently I read an article where a young lady changed her political views after what she called a deeper exploration of the Bible.  She came to the conclusion that the Jesus preached by conservative, evangelicals was not the Jesus of the Bible. Her claim is that the Jesus of the Bible "encouraged his followers to 'sell their possessions' and give them to the poor. He hung out with hookers and crooks." I hear this type of reasoning all the time in defense of ideas such as Bible studies in Bars with themes like "Beer, Conversation, and God". (Which does tell the priority right?)  The logic goes, we have to reach people like Jesus did, where they are.
     Did Jesus "hang out with hookers and crooks?"  Did He simply call His followers to "sell their possessions and give them to the poor"?  Let's see what the Bible has to say!
     Who did Jesus spend the majority of His time with?  An objective look at the Gospel record will show that He spent the majority of His time with the twelve men He specifically called to be His Apostles.  He walked, talked, ate, slept, and conversed with these men on practically a daily basis for the duration of His ministry.  He was training these men.  He was teaching His Church.  These are the ones that Jesus "hung out" with.  He was preparing them to spread His message to the rest of the World after His Own death, burial, resurrection, and ascension back to Heaven.  During this time He also had occasional dealings with harlots and cheats, as well as with the religious elite of the day.  Jesus ate in the Pharisees' houses just as much as He did in the houses of the Publicans.  But when Jesus ate with the "cheats" (publicans) what were the circumstances?
    Again, let's look at what the Scriptures say.  We can find the account in Mark 2:14-17. In verse 14, Jesus calls Levi (also known as Matthew) to follow Him.  At that call, Levi left the table where he was receiving taxes, and followed Jesus.  Verse 15 then tells that Jesus was eating in Levi's house and that many publicans and sinners were present.  Jesus called Levi, and then Levi invited his friends to a meal to meet Jesus.  Mark 2:16 reveals that this meal upset the religious elite.  How dare Jesus eat with sinners.  To this Jesus replied that He "...came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."  Here is where we find the difference between what modern liberal theologians claim and Biblical Christianity.
     People claim that Jesus "hung out" with sinners, and that justifies us going into bars, and stooping to the world's standards in order to reach people.  They will continue these things perpetually, because they never challenge those they are reaching in these places to CHANGE!  Can we honestly believe that Matthew continued to be a "cheat' after He met Jesus?  The harlot that Jesus "hung out with" was named Mary Magdalene.  Can we honestly believe she continued to be a prostitute after she met Jesus?  NO!  They repented!  Jesus didn't call us to strive for good works here and make ourselves acceptable unto Him.  He called us to REPENT. Are those who have Bible studies in bars trying to persuade those gathered to turn away from the alcohol, or are they joining in and condoning fleshly living?  I believe Jesus said "REPENT"!
     The Greek word translated repent is meta-knosis. This is a compound Greek word.  It comes from meta; which means to change, and from knosis; which means to think.  Literally, it means to change our thinking.  We are to change our thinking about sin, not justify it.  We should look at sin like God sees sin, and turn away from it.  Good works should happen because we ARE saved, not in order to be saved.  Salvation doesn't work like that.
     Now, what about this idea that we are supposed to sell our possessions and give to the poor?  The closest thing I can find in the Scriptures to this is recorded in Mark 10:21. (This exchange is also recorded in Matthew and Luke.)  Here, Jesus is confronted by a rich young man who asks the question, "what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" (Mark 10:17)  After this young man claims that he has been keeping the law, Jesus then tells him to sell all that he has, give it to the poor, and follow Him.  By studying this account in context, we should be able to see that Jesus isn't calling His disciples to sell their possessions and give to the poor.  He is, instead, pointing out to this young man what is keeping him from a true relationship with Jesus.  Mark 10:22 reveals, "And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions."  He was unwilling to give up his materialism to follow Jesus.  What was Jesus doing?  He was trying to get this young man to REPENT!
     I find it heart-breaking that so many people think that Jesus is ok with sinful activity and try to use Scripture to justify it.  Many today believe that because God is Love, He doesn't really care what they do.  Yes He is Love, but He is also Just!  He doesn't want us to suffer the eternal consequences of sin; death, Hell, and the eventual Lake of Fire.  This is why He died on the cross in our place.   He came to deliver us from the bondage of sin.  I pray that we will open our eyes to the truth and let Jesus change us!  Repent!