Page 808 … the Time is Now
You then quote Luke 5:31-32, where Jesus noted that he “came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
This was indeed the case, of course, and yet just who were those sinners, Lucy? Who was Jesus referring to in this verse? Was he referring to those who didn’t worship him as the only Son of God? NO, he was not (see Mark 10:18 & John 5:41 & John 7:16 & John 8:50-54 & John 12:44 et al) … No, my dear Friend, Jesus primary purpose – the main reason he started his ministry at all – was to bring the religiously pious to repentance. He came to encourage the conservative followers of the Old Testament laws to change their judgmental ways and become more humble and more Kind and more generous (see John 1:17, which directly reflects the Truth of Hebrews 8:8-13) … And he came to inspire the religiously arrogant to become more humble and more tolerant of those who believed differently than they (see Matthew 6:1-6 & Matthew 18:3-4 & Matthew 23:12 et al) … And he came to remind the zealously critical to not throw the first stone – or any stones at all (see Matthew 7:1-2 & John 8:3-11) … And he came to demand that the devoutly hypocritical pull the beams from their own eyes and cleanse their own cups instead of attacking the flaws of others (see Matthew 7:3-5 & Matthew 23:25-26) … So you see, Lucy – these were the sins that Jesus “hated” the most; and for him at least, these were (and still are) the sinners who need most to repent!
“The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of Heaven has now come. Repent and believe in my Good News … Repent of your sins and return to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” ~ Jesus Christ (Mark 1:15 + Matthew 4:17)
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