Why Must We See Our Sin
Jesus said - "He who is forgiven little, loves little." (Lk.7:47)
What does this command mean?
When Jesus said He who is forgiven much loves much. He was saying that those who don't have much sin, don't need much forgiveness. Those who don't think they have sinned much, don't think they have been forgiven much. For a little sin needs only a little forgiveness, whereas alot of sin needs alot of forgiveness.
Every true Christian has been forgiven much, for we all have sinned much. Compared to God's righteous commands and standards, we ALL have failed miserably.
Is 64:6 - For ALL of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like filthy rags."
"For ALL have fallen short of the glory of God." (Rom.3:23) See also Rom. 3:10-18.
The only way we can see our sin is when we compare our self to a Holy God and the life of Christ, and not others. It is only when we see the enormity of our sin, that we shall also see the need for an enormous amount of forgiveness from God. The problem is that some people see some of their sin, maybe 5-10% of it, while few may see maybe 15-20% of their sin and VERY few see 60-70 or even 80% of their sin. The sin is there in all of us, the question is how much of it have we seen.
Jesus is therefore saying that if we see the enormity of our sin, we will then realize how much we have offended a holy God and therefore how much we have been forgiven. We will therefore love the Lord greatly, who has given so much to forgive us of our great sin.
You can't love the Lord much if you haven't seen your enormous sinfulness and what the Lord has forgiven you from.
Why are there so many who claim to be followers of the Lord, yet love the Lord so little?
Because they are proud and think they have been forgiven little. This shows they haven't been truly saved. When God saves a person, the first thing He does is confront that person with the enormity of their sin.
Look at the criminal on the cross who admitted his sin and his guilt (Lk.23:39-43), look at Zaccheus who saw the enormity of his sin and immediately sought to make restitution for it (Lk.19:1-10).
Compare this to the Pharisees, who never admitted nor saw their sin, but instead claimed to be righteous, in need of nothing (Mt.23:25-28; Mrk.7:4)
Jesus said:
"It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (Lk.5:31-32)
"Unless you are repentant, you will all likewise perish. (Lk.13:5)
The point He was making, was that ALL men need to repent, NO ONE is good enough before God.
Jesus also said in Mt. 22:37 - The greatest and foremost commandment is this - "You shall love the Lord your God with ALL your heart, and with ALL your soul and with ALL your mind."
This is the greatest command, therefore, the greatest sin is to NOT love God with ALL our heart, soul and mind.
How do we know if we have been forgiven much and love God much?
GREAT LOVE is evidenced by GREAT OBEDIENCE to His commands.
"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." (Jn. 14:15, 21, 23, 24; 15:10)
"This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome." (I Jn.5:3; II Jn.1:6)
Remember, Jesus defined love NOT as a feeling, but as doing what He said.
Actually, love for the Lord is NEVER described as a FEELING in the Bible. It is ALWAYS an action based on what we believe. See 1 Cor. 13:4-8. Look at all the characteristics given to us to describe what agape love is and tell me are these actions or feelings?
1.
Love is patient (Acts patiently towards others, whether we feel patient or not)
2.
Love is kind (We act kindly in all circumstances and to all people, regardless of how we are treated, and not just when we feel like it)
3.
Love is not jealous (Is not jealous in any way of what others have that we don't have?)
4.
Love does not brag (Never exalts itself above others, or makes others feel small or beneath you)
5.
Love is not arrogant (Never lifts itself in pride or arrogance)
6.
Love is not unbecoming (Never acts unChristlike in action or speech)
7.
Love does not seek it's own (Never selfish)
8.
Love is not provokable (Never provoked to act or speak in an unkind manner)
9.
Love does not keep score (Never keeps grudges, or gets even)
10.
Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in truth (Never is happy when others suffer evil, or are in a bad way or evil wins out)
11.
Love bears all things (Never gives up on others)
12.
Love believes all things (Believes the best in others)
13.
Love hopes all things (Believes God will work it out for our good)
14.
Love endures all things (Always enduring and never giving up no matter what happens to us)
15.
Love never fails
How do we know we love the Lord?
We seek with all our heart, will and mind to obey His commands, and do His will, just like our example Jesus Christ did.
Jesus said - "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me." (Jn. 6:38)
To be able to do His will, we continually seek and ask for the filling and power of the Holy Spirit to give us the power and desire to do His will. Without this filling and power, we can NEVER do His will. (Jn. 15:1-11)
"I can do ALL things (ALL He has commanded) through Him who strengthens me." (Phil. 4:13)