How Much Do We Love the Lord?

“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.” (Luke 7:47 NKJV)

How do we Define Sin?

Most would say sin is disobeying the express will of God.  Sin is sometimes deliberate and wilful.  Sin is sometimes committed out of ignorance.   People who have been “saved” or “born again” have received God’s promise that their sins are forgiven.  When we are saved we are delivered from the penalty our sins deserved.   When we are born again we are delivered for a new life in Christ.  But sin is the problem and Christ is the solution.  Sin may affect our fellow man, but it is always an offense against God!

If we have been Forgiven, we should be Forgiving.

Ephesians 4:32 says, “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you (Ephesians 4:32 NKJV).”  But we find that the measure of our love for Christ depends upon our understanding of how much we have been forgiven.

Sinners who Have Been Forgiven

The woman who was a “sinner” in Luke 7 had apparently been forgiven much.  Simon, the host of the feast, apparently didn’t believe he was much of a sinner.  After all, wasn’t he hosting this feast in order to show how much he honored the Lord?  But he was not willing to act in a hospitable way and wash the Lord’s feet.  He was not willing to show his affection for the Lord with a kiss.  He was not willing to acknowledge the Lord’s office as the Messiah by anointing His head with oil.  But the woman who was a “sinner” did all of these things for the Lord.  

How Much Have We Been Forgiven?

I remember knowing that I was a sinner before I was saved.  I had been raised in a family that did not tolerate disobedience of any kind and so I had not gotten into a lot of “trouble.”  I wanted to be saved so that I would not go to hell and ultimately the Lake of Fire.  But after I was saved, I learned that my desire to sin was certainly there.  The Bible calls that the flesh.  I have grown to appreciate my need for forgiveness more since I have been saved than I ever did before.  But I was convicted that I was a sinner in need of a Savior.  And I am glad for the afternoon that I realized Christ had died to save me from the penalty that I deserved because of my sin.  The ability of the Lord to say, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do,” just astounds me. I personally would have called for the twelve legions of angels and would have destroyed those who were bullying, mocking, and rejecting me.  But the Lord offered forgiveness.  I don’t understand HIs ability to do that and I don’t understand those who refuse to accept the Lord’s offer of forgiveness.  

How Do We say Thank You?

We certainly are not in a place where we can physically wash the Lord’s feet or give Him a kiss of affection or where we can anoint His head with oil.  But we can say thank you.  We can identify with Him in baptism.  We can remember Him by participating in the Lord’s supper.   We can present our bodies as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1).  We can speak well of the Lord to others, particularly to those who do not believe in Him.  

Let those of us who are saved find a way to say thank you to the Lord, today.  We have all been forgiven much, we should love much.

Bruce Collins

Meditation for the week of April 6, 2025

If you would like further conversation about the issues in these meditations, contact me at collinsbd@yahoo.com and I will try to accommodate you with a virtual Bible Study.