43 Simon answered,“I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”
{If there’s one thing the pharisees understand, it’s money!}
44 “Then He {Jesus} turned to the woman and said to Simon,“Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45 You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. 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.”

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It is this PERFECT TENSE knowledge–that your ENTIRE LIFE is cleansed–which caused her and, for that matter, causes anyone, to LOVE JESUS MUCH.

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Present Tense Forgiveness.

But…..”to whom little is **forgiven, the same **loves little.”  In this sentence, Jesus uses the PRESENT TENSE.  Present tense indicated an action that is on going.    

It is this MISunderstanding which caused Simon, and causes Christians today, to LOVE JESUS LITTLE.

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Wrong Focus.

Many pastors are struggling today, scratching their heads wondering why their congregations don’t love God more.  At the risk of pointing out right from wrong, I suggest that they’re looking in the wrong direction.

You see, as long as SIN CONSCIOUSNESS is expounded upon, THAT WILL NEVER CHANGE.  They are trying to correct wrong behavior by teaching right behavior.  In other words, by preaching LAW.

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It is GRACE that saved us.  It is GRACE that will lead us home.  It is GRACE that is greater than ALL your sins!  You cannot out-sin God’s GRACE!

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What do you have to do to preach the Law?  You have to push the Mercy Seat, Jesus, aside, take the stone tablets out of the Ark, and expound on it, figuratively speaking.  Pushing aside the Mercy Seat didn’t end well for the men of Beth Shemesh.  You can read all about what happened to them by following the link below.  God’s holy anger lashed out at them, killing 70 men and 50 chief men:

https://emmausroadministries.wordpress.com/2016/03/16/why-did-the-oxen-stumble/

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The Purpose Of The Law.

The law was designed to expose our sin and reveal just how powerless and inadequate we are.  That it does very well.  It was never give for use to try and keep.  It showscases our desperate need for a Savior; for JESUS!

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Unless we truly see how bad we are, or were when Jesus saved us, and of how much we’ve been forgiven, we will never love Jesus much.  We will never understand the magnitude of His marvelous grace until we see the blackness of our own heart.

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If you’re born again, you no longer have a black heart but the new heart of flesh Jesus gave you.  You just need to understand that all your sins means even your future ones, not just the past up to now.  You know, PERFECT TENSE as opposed to PRESENT TENSE understanding of forgiveness.

Why are future sins removed?  Because #1, God doesn’t live in your time zone.  He is outside time and, #2, when Jesus died, all your sins were future, yet they are all gone when you look to the cross and ask Jesus to be your substitute.  He doesn’t have to come down again and die all over again.  He died ONCE FOR ALL TIME.

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The Problem Of The Flesh.

Now, if you think you are, or weren’t, all that bad after you come to Christ, God will show you the depth of your depravity.  He will allow you to clearly see that in your flesh dwells NO GOOD THING.

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How To Keep Sin In The Church.

The Church desperately needs to hear this message today. We need to hear that ALL OUR SINS OF OUR ENTIRE LIFE ARE CLEANSED.  Focusing on sin, the flesh, the devil, sinful lifestyles and practices actually keeps sin in the church.

Again, at the risk of teaching law, THEY ARE POINTING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.  You can only walk where you are looking.  If you are hearing that kind of preaching, it makes you think that sin is greater than grace.  AS IF!!!

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Pastors, the more you unveil Jesus in the scriptures to your people, the more like Him they will become.  Think CHRISTOCENTRIC; NOT EGOCENTRIC.  That is the lesson of the Emmaus Road.  Show them, “NO ONE HAS BEEN FORGIVEN LITTLE.”