Fully Realized Forgiveness...the Test Of Love-4 Series

FULLY REALIZED FORGIVENESS...The TEST of LOVE-IV—Luke 7:36-50

Attention:

Thru testing, one's true identity becomes conclusive.

Jesus called Simon the Pharisee to task regarding two demonstrations of love.

A forgiveness that is fully Realized is reflected in a proportional appreciation.

?Is God’s forgiveness fully realized in your life?

&

?Where/How is that fully realized forgiveness tested?

9 tests of Realized Forgiveness.

Previously we found that Realized Forgiveness is tested in the crucible of...

1. RECOGNITION(:36-37a-b)

2. OPPORTUNITY(:36-37)

3. PERCEPTION(:38, 39)

4. DEBT RELEASE(:40-42)

5. APPRECIATION/Love(:42-43)

6. RECIPROCATION(:44-46)

7—Realized Forgiveness is tested in the crucible of...

Life-PRINCIPLE(:47)

Explanation:(:47)Key

:47—“Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

With the illustration & application now unavoidable to Simon, Jesus pointedly told him that the “sinner” woman’s sins had been “forgiven” though they were “many.” Her sins had been forgiven because she “loved much”, i.e., that her “love” was the evidence of God’s grace received.

Likewise Jesus explains that the one who is “forgiven little” is the very one who “loves little” as well.

What one experiences, this is what one lives. This is not to say that being “forgiven little” is commendable as compared to being ‘forgiven much’ for both still are in need of forgiveness for neither can or will pay the debt. Yet an ownership of the forgiveness plays out in our actions.

Simon reasoned correctly that the one “loving” “more” would be the one who had been forgiven the greater debt for there had been more at stake.

‘The key’ is, for the one forgiven, to personally recognize the cost, degree, & depth of forgiveness needed & thus received thru Christ.

Such recognition will produce the “love” necessary for a proper response to the forgiveness received. “Love”/Appreciation will thus be directed toward the forgiver(action) by the one forgiven.

The depth of forgiveness is only felt/experienced by an individual, &/or corporately, thru acceptance & ownership of personal &/or corporate sin(See :43).’

You cannot be so ‘good’ that you are godly, But if you are indeed godly, then you will also be ‘good.’ Your life will reveal either.

“Sins”(See :48, 49; :37, 39—amartwlov)—amartia—1) equivalent to amartanw—1a) To be without a share in, 1b) To miss the mark, 1c) To err, be mistaken, 1d) To miss or wander from the path of uprightness & honor, to do or go wrong, 1e) To wander from the law of God, violate God's law, sin; 2) That which is done wrong, sin, an offense, a violation of the divine law in thought or in act; 3) collectively--The complex or aggregate of sins committed either by a single person or by many. Amartia meant originally the missing of a mark. When applied to moral things the idea is similar, it is missing the true end of life, & so it is used as a general term for sin. It means both the act of sinning & the result, the sin itself. Strong—A sin(properly abstract).

“Many”—poluv—

“Forgiven”2X(See 42, 43, 48, 49)—afihmi—1) To send away; 2) To permit, allow, not to hinder, to give up a thing to a person; 3) To leave, go way from one. Strong—To send forth, in various applications.

“Loved”2X—agapaw—

“Much”(See :)—poluv—Adj.—1) Many, much, large. Strong—including the forms from the alternate pollov; singular--Much(in any respect) or plural--Many; neuter(singular) as adverbial--Largely; neuter(plural) as adverb or noun--Often, mostly, largely.

“Little”2X—oligov—Adj.—1) Little, small, few—1a) of number--Multitude, quantity, or size, 1b) of time--Short, 1c) of degree or intensity--Light, slight. Strong—of uncertain affinity; Puny(in extent, degree, number, duration or value); especially neuter(adverbial)--Somewhat.

Argumentation:

2Cor. 5:12-15—“For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance & not in heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; & He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them & rose again.”

Lk. 9:23-26—“Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, & take up his cross daily, & follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, & is himself destroyed or lost? For whoever is ashamed of Me & My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, & in His Father’s, & of the holy angels.”