The Friend of Sinners (Matt. 11:19)

Jesus said, “The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children” (Matt. 11:19).

Christ is most sweetly known by His people as the Friend of sinners. He is their Savior. He is my Savior because He saved me from my sins. He did it by Himself (Heb. 1:3). He did it even though I offended God and made myself shameful, and remained dead in my sins until, by His grace and almighty power, He raised me from spiritual death to life and gave me faith in Christ (Eph. 2:1-10). In myself, I have but one distinguishing character trait, but one label to own: I am a sinner. Yet Christ saved me without any help from me. When dead in sins, He raised me to life in my soul. When I was impenitent in heart, He changed my mind. When I was enslaved in pride and blindness to spiritual things and was without faith, He showed me that Christ was all He required from me and persuaded me that He is all my salvation. He saved me when I was ignorant and proud and full of all manner of sin against Him. He did the unexpected. He did the impossible. He overcame every barrier that my sinful condition raised. He saved me when His justice seemed to make my salvation impossible. He gave me unimaginable blessings in Christ.

Though my title is “sinner,” His title is the most endearing. He is the “Friend of sinners.” His enemies used this title to slander Him. But He owned it, and by His Spirit forever recorded it in scripture so that sinners in heart and life would be irresistibly drawn to Him. They meant this label to reproach Him. He meant it for His praise and glory and honor. In the heart of every believing sinner there is this God-given view of Christ, that He is the Friend, the truly compassionate, all-knowing friend, full of tender mercies and lovingkindness, the true friend of sinners, who is able to save to the uttermost in honor of God’s justice and righteousness, His truth and His grace (Isaiah 12:1-6; Psalm 85:1-13; John 1:17).

What does every believing sinner say about his Savior? “His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem” (Song of Solomon 5:16).

​May God give me and you this view of Christ at all times. May we be honest with God in our hearts about ourselves, and may He enlighten us that we might be honest about Christ. He is truly the friend of sinners. What compassion! What condescension! What grace! What confidence! What expectation in hope! What everlasting, sovereign love!

Rick Warta