Just like me, and maybe even since childhood, you also hear several people claiming that Jesus said in the Bible: “come to me as you are”, am I right?! But did Master really teach this? And what does it mean? In which biblical verse can we find such a phrase?
What does “come to me as you are” mean?
Once, at an old job, I was training in a computer room, and next to me was a person who was not a devout religious person. To justify his habits, which he mentioned with us, such a person argued that Jesus would have said in the Bible, “come to me as you are”, and because of that he did not need to change his behavior at all.
Once, at an old job, I was training in a computer room, and next to me was a person who was not a devout religious person. To justify his habits, which he mentioned with us, such a person defended that Jesus would have said in the Bible, “come to me as you are”, and because of that he did not need to change his behaviors, not examining by the Word if these were pleasing to God or no.
In fact, I heard this phrase being said by my grandparents (for example) since my childhood.
In fact, many people deduce, based on this sentence that they usually don’t even have the courage to look for where it would be written in the Bible, that each one can live doing what he likes and the way he thinks is right, because “Jesus accepts us as we are” .
Returning to the case I witnessed in a training at work, this person insisted to me that “come to me as you are” is written in the Bible, when I said that it was not. In fact, she even told me that a relative of hers, who was a believer, had told me which verse it was written in, but he couldn’t tell me which one…
And generally, based on this false biblical verse, many people think that they can live in communion with the Lord, without, however, having to change their behavior and habits.
However, we must remember the words that the Master himself told us: “He who wants to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23 Peshitta Bible)
And in this deceit and selfish presumption, many people have committed sin and passed themselves off as false disciples of the Messiah, for he said, “it is enough for the disciple to be like his master”, and not “it is enough for the disciple to walk as he wishes” (cf. Mt 10 :25).
We need to be aware of these types of thoughts and arguments, as they have brought many confusions and misconceptions, in addition to false truths.
1st Truth about “Come to me as you are”: this is not a biblical verse, it is not written in the Bible!
On another occasion, while I was talking to fellow believers about the Bible, one of them insisted that “come to me as you are” is written in the Bible.
I said it wasn’t written, and as the person had the Bible nearby, he started looking for it immediately. But, as expected, he couldn’t find it. Then he said that he forgot where the verse was located, but that he would find it later…
What is more complex is that that person already had many years of walking in faith, and even taught the Word. I know that sometimes we slip up by quoting the wrong address of a verse. Sometimes we even misinterpret certain biblical texts, even with good intentions. But we need to be careful to teach only our certainties, not our doubts!
So let it be a lesson for us: when we are not sure about something, it is not shameful to say “I don’t know”.
In short, the popular saying “come to me as you are” is taken from the phrase that the Lord Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, as follows: Come to me, all of you who are struggling and burdened, and I will give you rest.
2) Even if there were in the Bible “come to me as you are”, it would never mean “remain as you are”!
People usually insist on reciting this phrase because they don’t want to give up their passions and habits. It is clear that we are talking, however, of those customs that do not correspond with divine principles.
This phrase is so popular in our society that it has even gained some complementary variations. Some say, for example: “come to me as you are and I will accept you as you are.”
But of course this is yet another justification for people to continue feeding their own ego and despising divine moral and spiritual ordinances. Some people even say that they already have God in their heart and they don’t need to change anything else, because they are accepted exactly as they are.
Of course, everyone’s personality traits are different. We cannot, however, think that God has no principles and laws, and think that He must subject Himself to any way of life that is licentious. The text of Ephesians 4:17-24, for example, is a great speech that shows that the human being truly turned to God is renewed for sanctification, through divine knowledge.
But there’s something “funny” about it all. It’s just that, most of the time, those who claim with so much certainty that “come to me as you are” is written in the Bible, are the ones who barely read it. They claim this simply because they have heard others claim it as well.
Some people, in an attempt to correct a misunderstanding with this false Bible verse, even try to correct the phrase by adding additions to it. One of these is: “come to me as you are, but do not remain as you walk.”
But it is worth remembering that the phrase above is also a popular saying and is not written in the Holy Bible either.
The truth is that we often want to demonstrate our fear of God with words, but we do not always bind ourselves to Him properly, as He commands in His commandments. And actually, His commandments are not burdensome, we just need to be guided correctly.
We need to be careful not to fall into mistakes like honoring God with our lips, but keeping our hearts far from Him (Is 29:13).
Finally, the disciples of the Lord have already revealed how in these last times people would love their own teachings, opinions and passions, to the detriment of the Divine teachings (2 Tim 4:3).
3) “Come to me as you are” is well applied, however, if we consider what is written in Romans 5:8 and other similar verses.
“Come to me as you are and I will do the work” is another variation on this popular saying. But in this case we need to make some considerations.
I was once working in a pastry shop and heard a couple talking to each other. They criticized one of their acquaintances who practiced wrong things, but he was still attending a certain religious temple.
The couple said that first such a person should abandon these practices and then take care of following the religion, because the temple is not a place that errant people should frequent.
You probably already met someone in a similar situation, am I right?!
For let us think about it and consider what is written in Romans 5:8:
But God demonstrates his own love for us in that the Messiah died on our behalf while we were still sinners.
Romans 5:8
Complete Jewish Bible
We may go to the Saviour, but for healing and pardon, and we must not deceive ourselves!
In fact, a human being can overcome an addiction by going through proper treatments or by going to recovery clinics. But to cleanse oneself of one’s sins and thus be reconciled with the Creator, only through trust in Yeshua! (cf. Acts 4:12; 2 Cor. 5:18-20; 1 Tim 2:5; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:2; cf. Isa 55:6-7)
God Himself undertook to give His Son as an offering for our sins. We would never be reconciled to Him without the intervention of the blood of Yeshua, which was shed for those who trust in Him (Is 53:5-6,10-11; Rom 3:23-24).
Therefore, if someone says “come as you are, and do not remain as you are” it is valid, although this is not written in the Bible either.
Imagine, for example, if it would be possible for Saul of Tarsus (Paul), who used to persecute people who were faithful to the Lord, to remain the way he was before believing in him… (see Acts 26:9-11)
Obviously, he couldn’t go on mistreating Yeshua’s disciples.
And you, have you ever witnessed a situation with this famous “false Bible verse”? Scroll further down the page and share with us in the comments.
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