Jesus Accepts Everyone?

Confused Catholics who hold on to the illusion that the Church will some day embrace contraception, sexual immorality, the homosexual lifestyle or any other sin often point to the fact that Jesus associated with sinners and embraced everyone. This does not mean that Jesus condoned their actions. This is like saying that a doctor accepts cancer and thinks tumors are good to have, because he hangs out on the oncology floor with cancer patients all the time.

Jesus engaged with sinners specifically to call them to repentance. In Matthew 9:10 when Jesus ate with sinners and tax collectors, the Pharisees reproached Him. Jesus told them bluntly that this was necessary to help them turn to God just as it would be necessary for a sick person to receive the care of a Doctor. Jesus wasn't taking part in or accepting their sinful lifestyle, but helping them to turn away from it.

In John 8: 1-11, when Jesus told the Jews not to stone the adulterous woman, He wasn't condoning adultery. He mercifully told her that He would forgive her, but that she was to "sin no more". 

Saint Paul chastises us in 1 Corinthians 15: 33-34 "Do not be deceived. Bad Company ruins good morals. Come to a sober and righteous mind, and sin no more; for some people have no knowledge of God. I say this to our shame." That is, we are not to consort with sinners, accepting or partaking in their lifestyle. 

This does not mean that we are to stop helping our neighbor regardless of their sins, while calling them to repentance. The Corporal Works of Mercy command us to minister to the sick, imprisoned, homeless, ect. while The Spiritual Works of Mercy call us to help them turn away from their sins. Jesus instituted the sacrament of reconciliation for the exact purpose of receiving sinners back into communion with Him.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church sums it up nicely in section 1443: "During his public life Jesus not only forgave sins, but also made plain the effect of this forgiveness: he reintegrated forgiven sinners into the community of the People of God from which sin had alienated or even excluded them. A remarkable sign of this is the fact that Jesus receives sinners at his table, a gesture that expresses in an astonishing way both God's forgiveness and the return to the bosom of the People of God."

Jesus accepts everyone. Everyone who turns back to Him.

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The Reality of Sin

Man is a creature composed of body and soul, existing in both the material and spiritual world. The evil one tries to lead us into sin, promising that it will please our bodies and make us happy. Really, sin results in the punishment of both body and soul in this world and in the next. Sin results in us suffering in this world AND in the next.

Society tells us that having casual sex with anyone we want will make us free and happy. Sex is for pleasure and not restricted to marriage. Actually, while we're in this world, it leads to suffering in the form of unintended pregnancies, venereal diseases, broken marriages, hurt feelings and wasted time. If we die in an unrepentant state, it leads to eternal damnation in the next world.

Society tells us that pornography and deviant sexual practices are our right and our choice because they make us free and happy. In reality, in this world we suffer as we become slaves to these perversions. They result in addictive fetishes, molestation, diseases and leave us unable to have natural relations with the opposite sex. If we die in these sins, we continue to suffer in eternal flames in the next world.

Society tells us that drugs and alcohol are our choice and lead to freedom and happiness. Actually, they lead to addiction and slavery in this world. Soon, we find that our addiction has destroyed our bodies, ruined our health, taken all of our money, destroyed our relationships and led us into crime and violence. If we persist in these sins, the suffering continues in the next world, when not only our bodies but our souls destroyed in Hell.

Society tells us that money will make us happy. We are led to believe that we should chase after money at all costs because it will enable us to buy material things which are the only means for happiness. In reality, we end up trampling over our fellow man, taking advantage of others and compromising our values. Since no amount of money ever makes us happy, we constantly chase after more. On earth, we live a hollow and empty life and our money counts for nothing at the end of it. If we don't repent, we suffer eternal flame in the next world.

Christ established His Church to guide us in the world. When we follow the Church's rules we are actually following Christ's rules. by doing so, we can experience some happiness in this world and, God willing, we will be happy with Him in the next.

Photo courtesy of: http://access-jesus.com/Genesis/Genesis_3.html