The Depth of Forgiveness

Luke 7:44-48 –

Turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little." Then He said to her, "Your sins have been forgiven."

For the full context of this story from the gospel of Luke, check out Luke 7:36-50; I want to quickly focus in on Christ’s words in the excerpt above. This woman was known as a sinner in this particular city, and Simon, the Pharisee whom Jesus was dining with, marvels at how Jesus allows her to love Him as she sees fit. Jesus responds by saying that it is evident that she has been forgiven much because she loves much. Her love is an outward expression of her personal knowledge of how much she has been forgiven.

The important thing to see here is that Christ is not saying that this woman’s sins are greater in number or magnitude than the sins of any other person. The easy interpretation of this passage is to say that because this woman was infamous for her outward sin, she was, in fact, a worse sinner than others, and therefore was able to receive more forgiveness. Not so; this woman was able to receive more forgiveness because she had a greater awareness of the true depth of her sin. The one “who is forgiven little” is not forgiven little because he has not sinned as greatly, but because in his pride he is blind to his sin. We cannot understand forgiveness until we first understand our sin.

And as love is the appropriate and necessary response to a true understanding of forgiveness, we can now answer the question “How can I love God more?” by saying: to first seek greater understanding of sin. As you use the Word of God to further your awareness of indwelling sin and the sinful desires which subtly tear at your soul, you will grow in thankfulness toward the Savior and in expression of love for Him.

How much have you been forgiven?