.......47 “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.”
(Jesus at the home of Simon, the Pharisee)
She was probably a harlot. Curious, don't you think, that she knew where Simon's house was? Hmmm.....very interesting. The ointment she lavished on Jesus was worth an entire year's wages. Very likely, this Pharisee was a frequent "contributor," shall we say, to her "wages."
(Woman washes Jesus' feet with her tears and dries them with her hair)
So Jesus, Who knew Simon's thoughts, proceeds to tell him the following story.
41"A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver {that's a whole lot} to one and 50 pieces {a very small amount} to the other. 42 But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?”
43 Simon answered,“I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”{If there's one thing the pharisees understand, it's money!}
44 "Then He {Jesus} turned to the woman and said to Simon,“Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45 You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil,but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. 47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are *forgiven, for she *loved much. But to whom little is **forgiven, the same **loves little.”
Though in English the word "forgiven" appears several times, two different Greek tenses are used. When Jesus is speaking to the woman, He uses the perfect tense. Perfect tense in Greek means a ONE-TIME, NEVER-TO-BE-REPEATED ACT. Though it is not recorded for us, sometime before this event took place, she must have had an encounter with Jesus. He cleansed her entire life--past, present, FUTURE-- from THAT moment and was reminding her of her continuous right standing, her PERFECT TENSE FORGIVENESS.
It is this PERFECT TENSE knowledge--that your ENTIRE LIFE is cleansed--which caused her and, for that matter, anyone to LOVE JESUS MUCH.
But....."to whom little is **forgiven, the same **loves little.”
But....."to whom little is **forgiven, the same **loves little.”
In this sentence, Jesus uses the PRESENT TENSE. Present tense indicated an action that is on going.
Simon is like most Christians today who do not understand that forgiveness is not only for your past and present sins but your future as well. They believe that you must keep on going to God to ask forgiveness as sins are committed. They have PRESENT TENSE FORGIVENESS.
This is simply not scriptural. Church, you are forgiven for your entire life. The blood of Jesus cleaned your entire life of ALL sin. The war is over! You HAVE--present tense--peace with God. You don't need to go to God again and again and again and again and again and again to ask forgiveness of your sins as they are committed. We confess our sins to God not in order to be forgiven but because we already are.
It is this MISunderstanding caused Simon, and causes Christians today, to LOVE JESUS LITTLE.
So many pastors today are struggling and scratching their heads wondering why their congregations don't love God more. As long as they continue to preach SIN CONSCIOUSNESS, THAT WILL NEVER CHANGE. They are trying to correct wrong behavior by teaching right behavior. In other words, by preaching LAW.
So many pastors today are struggling and scratching their heads wondering why their congregations don't love God more. As long as they continue to preach SIN CONSCIOUSNESS, THAT WILL NEVER CHANGE. They are trying to correct wrong behavior by teaching right behavior. In other words, by preaching LAW.
Listen Church; it is GRACE that saved us and GRACE that will lead us home. It is GRACE that is greater than ALL your sins! You cannot out-sin God's GRACE!
RIGHTEOUSNESS CONSCIOUSNESS: That's what we need! It is only believers who understand that God's AMAZING GRACE has cleansed their entire lives love Jesus much! That is why the Holy Spirit documented this story in the Bible. Grace is the antidote to sin, NOT LAW. Behavior modification happens from a changed heart; from the inside out. Where the church has failed is in trying to reverse that order. IT'S BACKWARDS.
Simon didn't understand that he was just as great a sinner as the woman. Self-righteousness will do that to you. We think we're doin' ok, trying to be all that we think Jesus wants us to be when all along, we are focused on ourselves and our performance--on the LAW--instead of on Jesus--GRACE.
The woman knew more than this educated man. She knew she was a great sinner.
Unless we truly see how bad we are, or were when Jesus saved us, and of how much we've been forgiven, we will never love Jesus much. We will never understand the magnitude of His marvelous grace until we see the blackness of our own heart. If you're born again, you no longer have a black heart but the new heart of flesh Jesus gave you. You just need to understand that all your sins means even your future ones, not just the past up to now. You know, PERFECT TENSE as opposed to PRESENT TENSE understanding of forgiveness.
The church desperately needs to hear this message today. We need to hear that ALL OUR SINS OF OUR ENTIRE LIFE ARE CLEANSED. It's this focus on sin, the flesh, the devil, sinful lifestyles and practices that keeps sin in the church. At the risk of teaching law, THEY ARE POINTING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. You can only walk where you are looking. So if you're Listening to that kind of preaching, it makes you think that sin is greater than grace. AS IF!!!
YOU CANNOT OUT SIN GOD'S GRACE.
TURN AROUND 180°: look behind you. JESUS IS THERE.
Look at Him. See His beauty unveiled. Focus on Him!
Show your people that NO ONE HAS BEEN FORGIVEN LITTLE.
No comments:
Post a Comment