Luke 5:31-32 – “Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.  32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” NKJV

When religious people who are sectarian and hold deep prejudice in their hearts see what God is doing in reaching the lost outside their sect they become upset.  I am reminded of what a man once said to me in which I served as pastor, “We want to reach quality people for our church.”  QUALITY?  I was somewhat taken aback and almost without thought responded, “What quality were you before you came to Jesus?”  Jesus came to ‘seek and save’ that which was lost not a particular segment of society.

Here the LORD clearly identifies that it is the LOST in need of His mercy and grace.  I have contended for a long time that it is IMPOSSIBLE to get a lost man found until that man knows he is lost.  In the natural if you do not know you are lost you will seek no help in finding your way and in the spiritual until you know you are LOST you will not reach out to the reaching hand of God for Salvation.

I grew up in a rural church and watched things transpire in that church that caused me great confusion and helped me develop a mentality that prevented me from seeking God’s salvation.  My attitude was, ‘if some of these people are going to heaven, God cannot send me to hell.’  That was a wrong premise but it was where I stood.  I was justifying my life based on my comparison to others and that is not how God views us.  When He looks at us He either sees the blood of Jesus or He does not.  It is not how I stack up in comparison to Bob, Jim, Tom, Joe, or whoever it is am I covered with the Blood of Jesus.

Sadly, some are ‘good people’ and because they are ‘good people’ and do as I did comparing themselves with others they see no need for God’s forgiveness, pardon, and mercy.  They do no harm, give to the poor, and serve the community and somehow deep inside feel that their service and human goodness will purchase acceptance with God.  It will not!  The only access to the Father is through the Sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross.  It is only as we are forgiven and the Blood of Jesus applied to our sins that we are accepted in the beloved.  It is GRACE not our works.  It is God’s gift not our efforts that brings us into the family of God!

So as Jesus said it is the sick that need a doctor, the lost that need a savior it is also true that those who do not know they are sick or lost will ask for and receive no help.  I was lost and did not truly know it for a long time.  When I realized I was lost I also believed that I had gone too far and my case was hopeless.  God’s incredible love penetrated that deception and through the love and persistence of some fabulous people of God He drew me out to the light and THANK GOD I AM SAVED!

May God help us know our condition so we can receive that which He has for us!  God bless you and be with you as you go through your day!