Forgiveness and Fearing

Scripture Reading: Luke 7:36-48

“If You, Lord, should mark iniquities; O’ Lord, who could stand?  But there is forgiveness with you that you may be feared” (Psalm 130:3-4).  I was taking Milo for a walk one day and working on memorizing this verse.  I was asking God what the connection between forgiveness from Him and fearing Him when the story of the sinful woman who cleaned Jesus' feet with her tears came to mind.

              Jesus told his host, Simon, the difference between that woman and him was she loved Jesus a lot and he didn’t love Him at all.  The reason for the disparity was she had been forgiven so much.  So one could say the fruit of worship is produced by the root of being forgiven.

              There are two reasons people have not experienced the kind of forgiveness that would produce loving worship of Christ.  Some people, like Simon, don’t see themselves as needing forgiveness that badly.  They don’t see themselves as wretched, guilty, horrible sinners and therefore they don’t appreciate what Christ has done.

              Others have not experienced the forgiveness of Christ because they have never received it.  Either they don’t know He would forgive, or they believe they are beyond forgiveness.  In either case, they remain cold and indifferent to Jesus Christ.

              Now let me ask you - if your heart is cold toward Jesus Christ and you don’t care about worship, prayer, giving, serving, and witnessing don’t you think it is time to stop and ask why you have never experienced the forgiveness of Christ?  Don’t you think there is something seriously wrong with a person who says they are a Christian but doesn’t seem to care all that much about Jesus?