Repentance FORGIVEN MUCH--LOVE MUCH
Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. Luke 7:47.
There was a feast at Simon's house. Simon was worried that Jesus' acceptance and forgiveness were being dispensed a little too freely. So Jesus told him the parable of the two debtors. One of the debtors owed a great deal. The other's debt was small. Both were forgiven. Jesus asked, "Which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged" (Luke 7:42, 43).
To our human understanding, the freely offered forgiveness could be dangerous. It looks as though it would lead to license. It seems that somewhere there must be a limit to the number of times we can repent, or we would continue choosing to sin and repent forever. But love is the great safeguard against license. Because the ones who have been forgiven much know better than anyone how great is the love of the One who has forgiven them, they love the most in return. "Those to whom He has forgiven most will love Him most, and will stand nearest to His throne to praise Him for His great love and infinite sacrifice. It is when we most fully comprehend the love of God that we best realize the sinfulness of sin."--Steps to Christ, p. 36.
As we know that we are loved, unconditionally, we are freed to respond with love of our own. It is as we know and believe the love of God to us that we are led to repentance, and the more we know of His love, the more our repentance will deepen.
If we love Him we will keep His commandments. It is only as we love Him that we can keep His commandments. "All true obedience comes from the heart."--The Desire of Ages, p. 668. When we come to Jesus each day, just as we are, we realize His acceptance of us. When He gives us His gift of repentance, we come to understand something of the love that is great enough to offer repentance and forgiveness, even to those of us who need to be forgiven "much." And love for Him springs up in our hearts. As we love Him, we desire to obey. God's forgiveness, so freely offered, not only does not lead to license but it is the only basis of true obedience that there is. Romans 2:4 tells us that it is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance.
Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. Luke 7:47.
There was a feast at Simon's house. Simon was worried that Jesus' acceptance and forgiveness were being dispensed a little too freely. So Jesus told him the parable of the two debtors. One of the debtors owed a great deal. The other's debt was small. Both were forgiven. Jesus asked, "Which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged" (Luke 7:42, 43).
To our human understanding, the freely offered forgiveness could be dangerous. It looks as though it would lead to license. It seems that somewhere there must be a limit to the number of times we can repent, or we would continue choosing to sin and repent forever. But love is the great safeguard against license. Because the ones who have been forgiven much know better than anyone how great is the love of the One who has forgiven them, they love the most in return. "Those to whom He has forgiven most will love Him most, and will stand nearest to His throne to praise Him for His great love and infinite sacrifice. It is when we most fully comprehend the love of God that we best realize the sinfulness of sin."--Steps to Christ, p. 36.
As we know that we are loved, unconditionally, we are freed to respond with love of our own. It is as we know and believe the love of God to us that we are led to repentance, and the more we know of His love, the more our repentance will deepen.
If we love Him we will keep His commandments. It is only as we love Him that we can keep His commandments. "All true obedience comes from the heart."--The Desire of Ages, p. 668. When we come to Jesus each day, just as we are, we realize His acceptance of us. When He gives us His gift of repentance, we come to understand something of the love that is great enough to offer repentance and forgiveness, even to those of us who need to be forgiven "much." And love for Him springs up in our hearts. As we love Him, we desire to obey. God's forgiveness, so freely offered, not only does not lead to license but it is the only basis of true obedience that there is. Romans 2:4 tells us that it is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance.
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