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Chapter 27 - Two Debtors
Luke 7:47-50
47 Wherefore [hos] [charin] I say [lego] unto thee [soi] , Her [autos] sins [hamartia] , which [ho] are many [polus] , are forgiven [aphiemi] ; for [hoti] she loved [agapao] much [polus] : but [de] to whom [hos] little [oligos] is forgiven [aphiemi] , the same loveth [agapao] little [oligos] .
48 And [de] he said [epo] unto her [autos] , Thy [sou] sins [hamartia] are forgiven [aphiemi] .
49 And [kai] they that sat at meat with him [sunanakeimai] began [archomai] to say [lego] within [en] themselves [heautou] , Who [tis] is [esti] this [houtos] that [hos] forgiveth [aphiemi] sins [hamartia] also [kai] ?
50 And [de] he said [epo] to [pros] the woman [gune] , Thy [sou] faith [pistis] hath saved [sozo] thee [se] ; go [poreuomai] in [eis] peace [eirene] . KJV-Interlinear
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.' 48 And He said to her, 'Your sins have been forgiven.' 49 And those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, 'Who is this man who even forgives sins?' 50 And He said to the woman, 'Your faith has saved you; go in peace.' NASB
In verse 42, which we have already studied, the question was asked, 'Which of the two 'will' love Him more?'
This brings a chronology into the parable. Love is not the cause of the forgiven debt, but the result. Love in our passage is 'agape' which is the principle of love, not affection, not the intimacy of love. We have already studied the three words for love - the first for the principle, the second for the affection of friendship, and the third for the intimacy between husband and wife. The first word, 'agape' is in view here.
The Savior (promised) will go to he Cross and pay the price for sin in behalf of all of mankind. Those who respond in love (faith for the principle of believing in the principle of salvation) will be forgiven much. That is, their sins have already been canceled. Everyone's sins have been canceled. But salvation is not accomplished from the Cross, only the barrier (sin) which prevents salvation has been removed.
It remains for the individual to believe in Christ (the Savior) and from that faith then salvation (being saved from the Lake of Fire and eternal separation from God) is accomplished. Forgiveness accompanies salvation.
Jesus tells the woman that her faith has saved her. So the chronology is, first, God provides the means of salvation with the promise of going to the Cross. From their perspective back then, the Cross has not yet occurred. But since the Cross is a certainty, then God applies salvation who anyone who believes in the Savior. The work of the Cross cancels all debts (sins).
Second, the individual hears of the promise, or from our perspective, we hear of His saving work on the Cross, and we apply love. That is, we believe the promise. We believe in God, in Christ, who are one and the same.
Third, forgiveness is applied to the individual who believes. Thus forgiveness places the individual into a relationship with God. This means salvation is complete. That is the sequence. He who loves a lot (faith in Christ) is forgiven a lot (the Lake of Fire is canceled and salvation is secured).
He who loves a little. Here little means so small an amount that it is nonexistent. Thus no love. With no faith, then there is no forgiveness, thus no cancellation of the destiny of the Lake of Fire, no salvation.
Jesus tells the woman that her sins are forgiven, and she should go on with her life from the time of her initial faith in Him, she is now saved and she needs to live her life in accordance with Gods principles of living. Go in peace. Peace is the true peace which comes only from spiritual growth to maturity.
So God provides the means of salvation The individual believes, then that faith/love generates salvation. Once saved, then the person should continue with their life - not as they had lived it (in sin - the absence of salvation), but now they should live it in accordance with Gods Word as a believer in Christ.
Note one more thing here. Once you are saved you will continue to commit sins. Now, salvation is not the issue (the believer has already been saved), but fellowship is now in view. Just as you acknowledged Christ when you believed in Him for salvation, so now you must acknowledge your sins in your confession prayer. Those sins are now the object for forgiveness and fellowship is restored so you can continue with your life in the sphere in which God wants you to live - in fellowship.
Again, in fellowship, those who love more, those who comply with the principle of confession, will receive much forgiveness (restoration back to fellowship), and those who love little (those who don't confess) will receive little forgiveness - none. They remain out of fellowship.
End of Lesson
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