No Great Love for Jesus

We as believers marvel and glory in the beauties of our Savior, for He has laid down His life to save us from wrath and judgment.

Yet there is little extravagant love for Jesus these days. Sinners don't love God's Lamb, because they don't fear God's wrath for their sin.

It would be wrong for us to think that our love for Christ is due to our great insight and perception, or that we have a natural love for that which is pure and holy. Thus, we must also question why we love Him so!

In the incident of Jesus' dinner with the Pharisee, our Lord specifically addressed both the lack of love by sinners, and the overflowing love by believers.

The Pharisee was inwardly indignant that Christ would allow a sinful woman to anoint Him with spikenard, and wash His feet with her tears. If Jesus were truly a prophet, the Pharisee seethed, He wouldn't permit her to even touch Him.

The Pharisee was implicitly self-righteous, and he falsely assumed that Jesus would only knowingly consort with good folks like he was!

Thus the faulty conclusion: Christ would agree with him if only He knew what she really was, ergo, Christ was no real prophet at all!

Jesus then showed the Pharisee that He knew everything, including the private thoughts of the Pharisee!

Jesus got the Pharisee to agree with Him, that those who are forgiven the most, will love their benefactor the most.

Then Jesus pointed out that the Pharisee showed no love for Jesus, but this poor woman showed great love and respect for Him.

That's because, Jesus concluded, she had been forgiven of great sin!

The Pharisee was left to ponder the fact that, showing no love for Jesus just proved he was unforgiven!