Athena Avellanet says that we need to stop saying that “Jesus hung out with sinners” to justify our sinful ways.
Bible Teacher
Athena Avellanet, a Bible teacher and social media influencer, has a powerful message she is sharing. In a recent Instagram post, she warned everyone to stop using the name of Jesus to justify the things we wanted to do. She referenced the story in the Gospel where Jesus was rebuked by the Pharisees when they saw Him eating with the sinners.
“Please stop saying that Jesus hung out with sinners and marginalized… He did not hang out with them as if it was a regular occurrence and He was bored… He was always about the Father’s business. So, when we see Jesus going to those places we must remember [that] this was an assignment, this was on a mission.”
“Jesus hung out with sinners”
She emphasized that Jesus did what He had to do to win those souls for the Kingdom of God. However, Christians today are using this narrative to justify their wants to hang out with their worldly friends.
“Instead, what we do is that we want to do is that we want to go to these places and spaces where we shouldn’t be but then we want to slap a verse on top and be like, ‘Jesus hung out with prostitutes, Jesus did this’ and He’s like, ‘Yeah because I was told to go.’ You haven’t even asked have you prayed about whether you should attend that wedding, have you prayed whether you should go to that person’s house? Probably not.”

(2023). Friends [Photograph], Retrieved November 29, 2023, from: www.canva.com
Are you glorifying God?
Athena then reminds us to keep the heart of the Father in mind when deciding whether to go to a gathering or not.
“It’s okay to want to go… but should you go is the question. Does the Father have an assignment for you there? Or maybe this time, you have to decline. He never compromised His message, Jesus was always talking about how the Kingdom was here.”
Read also: STEVEN FURTICK: ‘LET GO, YOU’RE NOT IN CONTROL’
Reference: Instagram | Athena Avallenet
Header Image: (2023). Friends [Photograph], Retrieved November 29, 2023, from: www.canva.com