How Did Jesus Act Toward Sinners?
By Matt Brown
The recent Supreme Court decision in the United States has brought lots of scathing comments from all sides, and an overwhelming amount of questions about how Christians should respond to the culture around us.
The best thing we can do is follow Jesus' example towards sinners:
1. Jesus taught us not to judge others
Jesus clearly tells us not to judge others. (Matthew 7:1-2) We can't expect non-Christians to behave like Christians. Instead, we should focus on being a light to them, and loving them.
Over and over again, the Bible tells us the importance of loving others. (1 Corinthians 16:14; 1 Corinthians 13:1-6, 13)
It is hard to love others, and show the gospel to them, when we are angry at them, or hating on them.
Anger and hate are not the way of Jesus.
2. Jesus showed mercy to People caught in sin
One day Jesus was teaching crowds of people in the temple, and religious leaders brought a woman caught in the act of adultery to him, and set her in front of the crowd accusing her - asking Jesus what should be done with her.
Jesus does the weirdest thing, something that still leaves Bible experts confounded. He doesn't respond at first... he literally stoops down and starts writing in the dust on the floor.
They kept demanding an answer, and Jesus finally stood up and said, "All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone."
Then he stooped down and kept writing in the dust!
One by one, the crowd began to leave. The Scripture says, "beginning with the oldest." The oldest likely left first because they had realized over the years how weak and vulnerable they were to sin themselves, and how many times they had failed throughout their life to adhere to God's law.
What was Jesus writing in that dust? It's almost like Jesus didn't draw a line in the sand for the sinner. Instead, maybe he was writing the sins of the various religious leaders or crowd members in the dust? Maybe he was pointing out that "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23) or "if anyone claims to be without sin, they are a liar and the truth is not in them" (1 John 1:8-10)
Either way, weird, right?!
Jesus shows overwhelming, astonishing mercy to this woman caught in sin. His response to her after every single person had left like dogs with their tails caught between their legs, was...
"Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”
“No, Lord,” she said.
And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”
In a very real sense, Jesus shows overwhelming, astonishing mercy and undeserved grace to sinners, and yet Jesus send the self-righteous scurrying off like dogs with tails caught between their legs.
Jesus doesn't give her a free-pass to remain in her sin. He tells her to "sin no more." With another man Jesus encountered, Jesus says, "Stop sinning, or something worse may happen to you." (John 5:14)
So Jesus doesn't condone the sin, but He also doesn't condemn the sinner. He is the only One who can rightly condemn, and yet he offers overwhelming, astonishing grace to all of us.
While many Christians are out condemning sinners, Jesus did the opposite - He gave His very life to bear sinners' sin and condemnation on the cross - for all who would trust in Him.
3. Jesus Didn't hide Truth
Some conclude Jesus was only gentle with sinners, and he often was...but we must also remember there were times when his hard teachings caused great crowds to leave in droves. (John 6:60-68)
Jesus was clear about the truth, even when it was not popular, and even when it caused crowds to scatter. He wasn't just trying to build a large following - He was on a mission to share both truth and love in profound ways, ways that still shake the world today.
Keep in mind that the crowd didn't scatter because Jesus was rude and judgmental. If our attitude or anger turns people away from Jesus, we are dead wrong.
However, there are times to share truth gently and respectfully (1 Peter 3:15), but stand for it nonetheless. Even though sometimes the world will hate us for it. (John 15:18; Matthew 10:22; John 3:19-21)
There is a time to warn people, even non-Christians, against the deadly effects of the ways of this world. (see Ezekiel 3:18; Acts 20:26-27) Although mainly we should focus on preaching the hope and truth of the gospel - because only the gospel can change hard hearts - it is the only thing that worked for us.
We need both gentleness and holy truth. We can't be afraid to be clear about Christ's truth. It makes me sad when Christian leaders, or Christians in general won't admit to the truth of God's Word simply because it is unpopular in culture, and might turn people off. There may be times when the crowds leave us too, as they did for Jesus, and only those true remain.
We shouldn't be surprised by times of declining Christianity - if the crowds left our Lord Jesus because of hard teachings, there are bound to be times like this for us too. Even in America.
So, no more angry judging. Offer overwhelming, astonishing mercy to sinners. But don't hide the truth, or be afraid of the crowds scattering. Possible?
What Did Jesus Say About Sin?
Jesus’ teachings on sin and His interactions with sinners are profound and foundational for understanding how Christians should respond to those struggling with sin.
What Did Jesus Say About Sinners? Jesus consistently approached sinners with compassion and a readiness to forgive, as seen in His interactions with the woman caught in adultery. He didn't condemn her but encouraged her to "Go and sin no more," highlighting both mercy and the call to transformation.
What Did Jesus Say About Sin? Jesus recognized the reality and gravity of sin but was clear that His mission was to save, not to condemn. His life and teachings emphasize redemption, urging us to renounce sin without condemning the sinner.
How Did Jesus Treat Sinners? Jesus treated sinners with mercy and respect, dining with tax collectors and engaging with those marginalized by society. He embraced them with love and offered grace, yet never shied away from speaking the truth about the need for repentance and change.
By following Jesus’ example of showing mercy without condoning sin, Christians can navigate complex cultural issues with grace, prioritizing love and truth in a balanced way.
Jesus' Teachings For Sinners
In understanding Jesus and His connection with sinners, we find profound lessons on compassion, forgiveness, and the call to transformation.
Jesus and Sinners Jesus’ ministry was deeply intertwined with outreach to sinners. He sought out those marginalized by society, emphasizing that His mission was to bring salvation to the lost. Through parables like the Prodigal Son, He illustrated God's boundless love and forgiveness towards sinners.
Jesus and the Sinners Throughout the Gospels, we witness Jesus consistently welcoming sinners with open arms. He shared meals with tax collectors, healed the sick, and forgave sins, demonstrating a radical inclusivity. Jesus emphasized that it’s the sick who need a doctor and that His purpose was to call sinners to repentance—not to cast them away.
These teachings of Jesus guide us to engage with those struggling with sin with a heart of mercy, never losing sight of the truth and the transformative power of grace. This approach encourages a compassionate witness that reflects Christ’s own.
Matt Brown is an evangelist, author of Truth Plus Love, host of Think Eternity with Matt Brown, and founder of Think Eternity — a ministry dedicated to amplifying the gospel every day through podcasts, devotionals, videos, live events and more. Matt and his wife Michelle have three children.
