Forgiven much, love much

I want to love God more. I want to be known as someone who loves God; not just someone who talks about it, but one who shows it in my worship, obedience to God, service of others, and motives. And since loving God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength is the first and greatest commandment (Matthew 22:36-38), this matters. And I agree with Martin Luther that the first commandment is not just the first of isolated commands, but as the first it is also tethered to all the other commands. I want love for God to permeate all that I do and am. If you feel the same way, read on because in an amazing interaction with a Pharisee and a sinful “woman of the city” Jesus gives us the key to being people who love much. And it might surprise you to discover (or re-discover) the direction Jesus takes us in.

The story takes place in Luke 7. The Pharisee named Simon invites Jesus to his home to eat. A woman who apparently was well known for her sin came when she heard about Jesus being at this particular home. But she didn’t come to stand in the corner.  She came to worship. She came to pour her love out upon Jesus. When I read this account, it almost makes me uncomfortable to think of what this woman was doing; it was, quite frankly, undignified. She was standing behind him at his feet, wetting his feet with her tears, wiping his feet with her hair, and pouring ointment on his feet. Jesus’ response helps me check my uncomfortable response, and I am reminded of David when he told Micah he didn’t mind acting undignified when God showed up in town. Simon, the Pharisee, predictably responded in disdain toward the woman and Jesus, questioning the authenticity of claims made of Christ.

In a moment, however, with a simple story of debt and forgiveness, Jesus exposes Simon’s self-righteousness and hypocrisy. Self-righteousness because he was blind to his own sin and hypocrisy because he loved God with his lips but his heart was a million miles away.

The crux of the story is this: those who are forgiven much, love much and those who are forgiven little, love little. Those who see forgiveness as an amazing gift, respond to God with extravagant love. Those who see forgiveness as an okay thing, respond to God accordingly. The woman, whose sins were obvious and great, loved much showing that she had been forgiven much.

This begs the question though: Is it only those who have sinned in obvious, loud, and outrageous ways; those who have been forgiven “much” who able to love God extravagantly? What about those who have or do struggle with more respectable sins? I hope you do a double take of the previous sentence: respectable sins? The problem with Simon (and often with us) is that we easily view others as those in great need of grace but somehow don’t see ourselves that way. Simon thought that he was in need of a little forgiveness because, after all, nobody’s perfect. The woman at the feet of Jesus, however, was so sinful that she was beyond forgiveness. The woman was of the city and Luke simply says, “was a sinner”. I think this is Luke’s way of saying that she knew it and so did everybody else. Perhaps her sin was famous in that city. Which is why for her to hear Jesus say, “Your sins are forgiven. Your faith has saved you. Go in peace,” were the sweetest words she had ever heard. Those who know their sin and God’s gracious forgiveness of it love much. If this is the spring from which our love for God flows, how does it work?

Love is our response to the God who forgives much

1. Those who have been forgiven much, don’t forget the Forgiver. The gift of forgiveness is amazing. The Giver of forgiveness and reconcilation through forgiveness to the Giver is infinitely better!
2. Those who are forgiven much realize that forgiveness is free. God didn’t have to forgive. I did nothing to merit or deserve it. God gives forgiveness freely. All we can do is receive it as a free gift.
3. Those who are forgiven much know the enormous cost to God in extending forgiveness. Forgiveness is free for us, but it is by no means free for all parties involved. Our sin was in the way and God had to pay a high price to extend forgiveness. He sent his beloved Son.
4. Those who are forgiven much know the great sacrifice of Christ in order to purchase forgiveness. Our sin required justice. Our sin required a payment. Jesus came and endured divine justice on the cross for our sins and by his blood we have been ransomed for God - forgiven and reconciled.

So it is those who see forgiveness as an unspeakably precious reality that have great love for God. If you have been forgiven, you have been forgiven much! Preach the gospel of God’s gracious forgiveness until it is in you through and through… until much love for God and his glory reigns.