At the end of the day, Jesus didn’t say, “Okay, look, I only want to hear from those who attend church and strive to follow its rules.” Jesus said everybody can call on Him.
Everybody means everybody.
There is help, direction, guidance, healing, and deliverance through Jesus Christ for everyone. Now, if you’re talking about going to heaven, that may involve a different, more select group of people. Some people voluntarily choose to live by stricter standards than others. That is their choice. But when it comes to praying and asking for help while we are here on Earth, anybody can call on Jesus. That’s what HE says in Matthew 11:28:
“Come to Me, ALL you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
—Matthew 11:28
So when criticism is directed at me for talking about Jesus, I get a little confused about which “Jesus” you’re talking about. Surely you’re not talking about MY Jesus!
My Jesus said I can call on Him whether you like me or not. And you can call on Him whether I like you or not. Whether I approve of what you’re doing, believe you’re living wrong, think you shouldn’t date the person you’re dating, or think you should treat your spouse better, my opinion has nothing to do with whether Jesus will help you.
That is a relationship between you and the Lord. I respectfully refrain from offering criticism or expressing “concern” about what you do or how you behave. That is none of my business.
Likewise, what I’m doing, how I’m doing it, and whether or not you agree with it are none of your business. You don’t have to like me, agree with my spiritual beliefs, or share my philosophy. But you are absolutely out of pocket if you think you can speak to me as though you have spiritual authority over me and tell me where you believe my relationship with God stands.
You have NO authority here.
Finally, I would like to remind you of a certain woman:
And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, and had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse.
When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.
Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?
His disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
He looked round about to see her that had done this thing. The woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
Jesus said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
—Mark 5:25–34
Leave me alone.