Calling Sinners to Repentance

Speaking of Jesus Christ: “After that He went out and noticed a tax collector named Levi sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, ‘Follow Me.’ And he left everything behind, and got up and began to follow Him. And Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a great crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, ‘Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?’ And Jesus answered and said to them, ‘It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.’” (Luke 5:29-32 NASB1995; Matthew 9:10-13; Mark 2:15-17)

What should our attitude be toward those who are living in sin, whether or not they profess faith in Jesus Christ? We should love all people and treat all people with kindness. But what is kindness? It is not pacifying people in their sin. It is not refusal to speak to them the truth of God’s Word and to tell them that Jesus Christ died on a cross to put their sins to death with him so that they will, by God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ, deny self, die to sin daily (repent of sin), and walk in obedience to our Lord’s commands.

And what if they are attending the gatherings of the church, but it is known that they are living sinful lifestyles, that they are deliberately and habitually choosing to live in sin, in immorality, and not in obedience to our Lord and to his commands? How should the church, the body of Christ, i.e. those of genuine walks of faith in obedience to our Lord respond? We should show them love, but love does not pacify nor approve of sin. Love speaks the truth in love, and it calls sinners to repentance, just like Jesus did.

For, what is the purpose of the church? Well, first of all let me state that the church is not a building. It is not a church denomination incorporated under the state (in an unholy union with the ungodly). It is not a business of human origin to be marketed to the people of the world like any other business. And its purpose is not to alter the gospel to make it less offensive to the ungodly, nor is it to entertain the world via worldly methods. For the church is the people of God who have died to sin and are obeying God.

And the purpose of our gatherings is to be for the mutual encouragement and strengthening of the body of Christ in walks of obedience to our Lord in holy living, and to warn against false teachers and false teaching, and against the deceitfulness of sin. We gather together as the body of Christ to help one another to live for the Lord, to obey his commands, and to walk in purity of devotion to our Lord so that none of us are led astray by liars and deceivers who would try to convince us that our sins do not matter.

We who believe in Jesus Christ are also the called of God to be taking the true biblical message of the gospel to the people of the world. And we should be giving them the whole truth and not these half-truth “gospel” renditions which do not put sin to death, but which coddle people in their sins, and which make no demands for walks of obedience to our Lord. For the Scriptures teach that if sin is what we practice, and not obedience to our Lord and to his commands, that we will not have eternal life with God.

For by God-gifted faith in Jesus Christ, which is not of our own doing, we are crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but as slaves to righteousness in walks of obedience to God’s commands. We are no longer to permit sin to reign in our mortal bodies to make us obey its desires. For if sin is what we obey, it results in death. But if obedience to God is what we obey, it results in sanctification, and its end is eternal life with God (see Romans 6:1-23).

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Acts 26:18] 

The Letters 

Based off Revelation 2-3

An Original Work / December 17, 2013

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

To the angels of all the churches write:

These are the words of your Lord and your God.

I know all your deeds, and your witness, too,

And who holds to My words and tells what’s true.

I know all your hard work and your perseverance,

Yet I hold against you: you’ve forsaken Me. 

Listen to what I say to you.

You have people there who deny My name,

And who put the cross of Christ up to shame.

They entice the people to Me, profane,

And their worship of Me is all in vain.

They are so adult’rous as they chase their idols,

And you put up with them easily enough.

Listen to what I say to you.

You give off an image of godliness,

But what you present is so fraudulent,

Or else you lack passion for Jesus Christ, 

So you look to others to tell what’s right.

I say turn from your sin, or you will face judgment.

He who overcomes will have eternal life.

Listen to what I say to you.

I know your afflictions and poverty;

How you suffer for your Lord patiently.

Do not fear the devil and company.

You be faithful to your Lord endlessly.

I know all your weakness and your dedication.

You have kept My Word and not denied your Lord.

I will write on you My new name. 

https://vimeo.com/114655138

Calling Sinners to Repentance

An Original Work / February 14, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love