O Come, All You Unfaithful Unisex Crewneck Sweatshirt

In the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Luke, Jesus describes two kinds of people: those who are well, or healthy, and self-sufficient; and then those who are sick and needy.

The title of a beautifully written song by Sovereign Grace Music, “O Come, All You Unfaithful,” appeals to the latter.

And the truth is, the Gospel of Jesus Christ appeals only to the latter.

In describing one as well, or healthy, Jesus is referring to the self-righteous. This would be those who are free from any debilitating sickness that would cause them to be declared unrighteous in the sight of God. The sick; however, are the opposite. They stand before God guilty with no ability in and of themselves to fulfill God’s demand for righteousness. These, Jesus says, are sinners in need of a Physician.

But the reality is that both categories of people that Jesus describes here are actually the same. Meaning, both are in fact sick and in need of a Physician. Or, in other words, both are sinful and in need of saving. The difference that Jesus is getting to here is that one knows it and the other does not.

All of our hearts are deceitful and desperately sick (Jeremiah 17:9). Not one of us is righteous or does good (Psalm 14:1-3). At our best, our deeds are like filthy garments (Isaiah 64:6). We have all gone astray, each turning to our own way (Isaiah 53:6) not honoring or giving thanks to God as we ought, but instead worshiping the creature rather than the Creator (Romans 1:21, 25). We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and the wages of that sin is death (Romans 6:23). Left to our own, there is not a deed we can do or an offering we can bring to God to atone for our sin against Him and appease His wrath due to us as the just penalty for our sin.

But thanks be to God that He made a way for us. Christ came because there was no other way for sinful men to be reconciled to a holy God. “He [God] made Him [Christ] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him [Christ]” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Christ came into the world He created to live the perfect life we could not live and die the death that we deserve in order to fully satisfy the wrath of God on behalf of those who would trust in His all-sufficient sacrifice. He bore the sins of those who would repent and believe on Him that they might bear His righteousness.

And He came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance (Luke 5:32). Not the self-sufficient, but the needy. Christ is calling to Himself those who, by God’s grace, know that they are sick; for why would one who is healthy need healing? Christ came to save only sinners; for why would a righteous man need saving?

All of human history consists of a faithful God pursuing His unfaithful people. The redeemed children of God who now stand before Him clothed in Jesus’ righteousness only do so because Jesus willingly came to live and die as our perfect substitute. We are nothing more than rebellious idolaters and adulterers who have only ever sought purpose and joy in everything but God, and yet, in His great mercy, have been saved from ourselves by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. We are those who, by God’s grace, have been given eyes to see our sinfulness and our need of the atoning work of Christ on our behalf. We are the latter.

If you are weary and heavy laden with your sin—if you are tired of running from shame and guilt within yet unable to ever escape; tired of hiding brokenness and bitterness over one failed pursuit of happiness after another; tired of fighting and striving and coming up short and finally, by God’s grace, beginning to realize that you are desperately sick and needy—perhaps God has you exactly where He wants you. By God’s grace, you are the latter, and the Good News of Great Joy that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ is for you.

So come.

Allow His kindness to lead you to repentance. Return to the God Who made you for Himself and find in Christ your eternal joy.

Bring nothing. He is the offering.

Christ is born for you.

• 50% cotton, 50% polyester
• Pre-shrunk
• Classic fit with no center crease
• 1x1 athletic rib knit collar with spandex
• Air-jet spun yarn with a soft feel and reduced pilling
• Double-needle stitched collar, shoulders, armholes, cuffs, and hem

Size guide