Forgiven Much = Love Much

Luke 7:47, “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.”

I think this is a pretty simple truth, and paradoxically the reason God is not completely repulsed by mankind. He knows that the more of His forgiveness we taste, the more we love Him.

Take this same thought another direction and those who realize and understand just how much of their past, present, and ongoing sin has, is, and will be forgiven… those folks love God much. Perhaps this is why Paul set the world on fire, while enduring fire for Christ. Perhaps Paul’s love for Jesus was fueled in this understanding of forgiveness, and that is why he wrote to Timothy, “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.”

Paul, the founder of the church for gentiles, beaten, shipwrecked, snake bit for Jesus is the foremost of sinners? It is his recognition that he is a sinner, it is his honesty with himself, it is his acceptance of God’s love and forgiveness in spite of it all that allowed him to love so much that he laid down his life for Christ. Not the opposite.

Christ did not say those who have overcome the most love the most. He did not say those that can keep the law the best love the most. He did not say that those who can be the holiest on their own love the most. Those that have been forgiven much love much.

I dare say that if you do not love God much, then you are unaware of how much you have been forgiven and how sinful you really are. 

I am adding this after publishing the original, but we love as a result of being forgiven and we also show mercy where we have been shown mercy. In what you condemn, you admit there is no mercy for in your life. In what you judge you say that you are willing to be judged for it as well. How often is the loudest critic just as guilty of the sin. "You who is without sin cast the first stone." Christ said. For the rest of us He said, "Love your neighbor as yourself."