4 Minute Read
Prepare Your Heart
To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, ask the Lord to speak to you in this time. Let Him know that you will listen and make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.
Read God’s Word
A Verse for Today
Slowly and reflectively read the following verse(s) and listen to what God will say to you through His written Word. Consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.
Luke 7:47 (CSB): “Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; that’s why she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.”
Reflecting on God’s Word
I don’t know of anyone who has ever said: “I’m so glad that I spent so much of my time disobeying the Lord and destroying my life!”
I don’t know a drunkard who is glad he destroyed his liver and his family. I don’t know a prostitute who is glad she destroyed her body and her soul. I don’t know of a murderer who is glad he destroyed a community of family and friends with unspeakable trauma.
But, when people who have strayed so far from the standards God has set finally fall on their knees at the foot of the cross and receive Jesus’ forgiveness, they tend to be the ones who live the most passionately for Him. Why? Because they know that Jesus has forgiven them. They know what Jesus has saved them from. They are so grateful that they are not what they once were and they love Jesus for what He has done for them.
The vast majority of other people who either didn’t commit the “big” sins or didn’t do them for long often don’t feel the same sense of gratitude and indebtedness to the Lord Jesus when He saves them. They know they have sinned and stand guilty before a holy God. But the weight of their sin doesn’t feel nearly as horrible as those who wallowed in the depths of sin and despair.
This, my friends, illustrates the principle that Jesus spoke in the verse I have chosen for today.
Luke 7:47 (CSB): “Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; that’s why she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.”
With this knowledge that people who went the deepest into sin tend to be the most grateful when Jesus saves them, why do so many “Christians” look down on “sinners” when they come to church? Why do so many judgmental Christians sometimes feel compelled to bring up another Christian’s past after they are saved?
We need to realize that the principle of Luke 7:47 is simple and powerful … and true! So, while we should take sin as seriously as Jesus (he had to die on the cross to deal with it), we should also reach out to sinners like He did. Some of the worst of sinners can make the most devout of Christians. They know what Jesus has saved them from, and it fuels their passion to serve Him. A perfect example is the Apostle Paul, the greatest missionary to ever live, who was previously a despicable human being for what he did to Christians (1 Timothy 1:12-17).
Spend Time in Prayer
- Ask God to help you develop an even clearer biblical view of sin so that you see it as He sees it.
- Ask God to help you cultivate a love for people who sin (that’s everyone!).
- Ask God to help you remove the telephone pole from your eye so that He can use you to graciously and humbly help others with the speck in their eyes.
Going Deeper
If you want to dig a little deeper into how we should love the sinner while hating the sin, consider reading the following GotQuestions article:
“Are we to love the sinner but hate the sin?”
Sharing
If this post has been helpful to you or if you think it could help others, please consider tapping one of the social media buttons below to share it on your favorite platform.
____________________
Matt Ellis is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Polk City, Florida (fbcpolkcity.com)
Matt’s Musings 