Not only does Jesus want the rose of those abused by sin, but so should we want to minister to those whose lives have been wrecked by their bad choices. Paul led to Christ sinners at Corinth who are shunned, or mocked, or humiliated in some legalistic churches. Read the list of sinners in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Paul embraced and won to Christ: Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
If Jesus and Paul did not make these unacceptable sinners the butt of their jokes or ridicule why do we? I have a pastor friend who had parents of a homosexual son in his church. The parents finally got their son to come and hear the guest evangelist who was preaching in a service. But the evangelists took off on homosexuals whom he called queers along with other degrading names, The evangelist enjoyed lots of laughs and “amens.” But he not only broke the hearts of those parents, he drove away that son not only from the church but the gospel. God help us to have the attitude of Jesus toward sinners who are like that all used up and broken rose: “Neither do I condemn you go and sin no more.”
