Setting the record straight on Jesus, ‘the friend of sinners’ [View all]

Jonathan Merritt

Many people know that the New Testament refers to Jesus as a “friend of sinners,” but what does that mean exactly? Apparently not what some Christians think it does.

In response to a twitter comment I made about Christian singer Natalie Grant walking out of The Grammys, Joe Carter, prominent Calvinist and director of communications for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission rhetorically asked, “Didn’t [Jesus] only welcome those seeking forgiveness?” He went on to agree with another that “The sinners Jesus partied with were already followers.”

Theological sirens blared inside my head as Carter doubled down on his assertion that Jesus wasn’t really a friend of sinners, but I assumed it was probably a fringe view I wouldn’t likely encounter again.

A few days later, however, a friend emailed me a blog post from The Gospel Coalition titled, “Jesus, Friend of Sinners: But How?”, written by another Calvinist, Kevin DeYoung. He said that Christians needed to be “safeguarded against doctrinal and ethical error” regarding Jesus’ social habits.

http://jonathanmerritt.religionnews.com/2014/03/20/setting-record-straight-jesus-friend-sinners/