The Connection Between Repentance and Love
So I was reading in Luke the other day and I felt that the Holy Spirit was showing me something that I had never seen before. And I wanted to share that with you guys today. Let’s get started.
So the passage starts out with Jesus going to the house of a Pharisee for dinner. Now when He is in the house a woman enters and starts to thank Him. She starts weeping and serves Him by wiping His feet with her hair and her tears. And she also pours perfume on His feet. Now this to people in that day and even in today seems like a very stange act. And I think the reason is because we have a sense of pride. We can’t imagine kissing, and washing someone’s feet. It seems so lowly and humiliating. But this is exactly what this woman did. Now, the Pharisee notices this and asks Jesus why He allows this to happen. So Jesus explains why through a parable.
And Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he replied, “Say it, Teacher.” “A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?”
Luke 7:40-42 NASB1995
So the parable is about a moneylender (banker) and he lent out money to people. Now this money lender had given out two loans to two different people. The first loan was for 500 denarii and the second was for 50 denarii. To put this in persepective the denarii was roughly a days wage for working. So they were both unable to pay and were both forgive of their debts. And Jesus asks the question, which of the debtors will love the gracious moneylender more?
Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.”
Luke 7:43 NASB1995
So when Simon answered that the one who had been forgiven more would be the one who would love more, Jesus confirmed that answer. So Jesus then brings it back to the woman.
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.”
Luke 7:44-47 NASB1995
So we can look at how the story of the moneylender relates to the woman. The woman of course is the debtor that had been forgiven much, and because of that she loves much. That is why she is anointing and washing the feet of Jesus. So I have read this passge many times before, and I am sure some of you reading this have also read this passage many times. But what the Holy Spirit pointed out to me was that there is a hidden secret about how to grow you love for God in this teaching. And it is actually quite obvious once it is pointed out. If those who are forgiven much, love much, then if we want to grow our love we need to be forgiven more. But how do we be forgiven more? We need to live in a mode of repentance. The more we repent, the more we are forgiven. And this is the secret to growing our love, not only for God but for people. So I challenge every reader to go to God sometime today and repent for any sins commited. Not only that, but ask the Holy Spirit to show you places where you have been lacking. I believe that if you do this today, and everyday, you will see progress in how you love.
Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed this blog post! If you did, make sure to share this with friends, family, and your Church. Hope ya’ll have a blessed day! Jesus is the Way!
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