Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Daily Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

3 April 2025

Reading From Luke 7:31-50

“Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”

“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

—Luke 7:41-50

     This exchange took place at the house of one of the Pharisees who had invited Jesus to dinner.  It must have been a dinner party at a house where perhaps many people were coming and going through open doors as today we might host an “open house.”  If it were an small, intimate affair, then the woman who had committed many sins would not have been able to come in to where Jesus was reclining.

     Pharisees were not a homogenous group.  Some of them opposed Jesus, others were curious and there were those who became disciples of the Savior themselves.  As we look at individuals and groups both historic and in our contemporary times, we need to follow the Golden Rule as we learn about their lives.  Jesus taught us to, “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”[1]  I want people to extend grace and mercy toward me and seek greater understanding about my life and the choices that I’ve made, so I need to do the same for everyone else.

     It is fascinating and so beautiful to me that Jesus said, “Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown.”  This is a foundational principle of Christian living that all of us need to grasp in order to have a healthy, growing and deepening relationship with the Lord.  We express love for God in poetic and practical ways because we have been forgiven. 

     Good deeds and religious rituals do not earn favor, forgiveness, status or love from Him.  Works are produced by hearts that have been transformed by grace, which by definition is undeserved favor.  We show the world around us that we have experienced the love and forgiveness of the Lord by sharing His great love and Good News in spiritual and temporal ways.  A tree producing excellent spiritual fruit is the Scriptural parable, not a scale with works on one side and faith on the other.  We need to get this principle correct or we will be imbalanced and unhealthy.

“Lord, give us Your perspective on life.  We need You, Jesus.  Enlighten with the truths of Your Word how we see You, how we see others, and how we see ourselves.  Remove misunderstandings and unhealthy patterns of thought and behavior from our hearts, minds and daily lives.  Holy Spirit, bring course correction wherever it is needed in the sons and daughters of the eternal family of God.  Our desire is to love and honor You in ever way possible.  We give ourselves to You, Lord.  We obey You because we love You and You first loved us.  In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray these things.  Amen.”

Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

—Romans 5:18-21

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.

—John 15:16

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

—Ephesians 2:8-10

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[1] Luke 6:31