Day 21, Saved! Luke 7:36-50

Let us begin at the end: Jesus said to the woman, Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.  Then may I suggest you read Romans 3:21-26.  God’s righteousness is revealed without the law; in every case righteousness is revealed through faith.

Now consider this story.  First, who needs salvation?  All people do, of course.

·        The woman needed to be saved.  Don’t confuse her with Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus who anointed Jesus in Bethany in John 12, breaking a precious jar of perfume.  Don’t identify her with Mary Magdalene, as many do; there is nothing in the passage to indicate this connection.  She is a sinner (v37), so called by Luke in the narrative as well as by Simon (v39) who meant to say she was more needy than he was.  Her actions indicate she felt her sin deeply, but also that she felt that Christ alone could help her.

·        Simon needed to be saved.  He is the classic “saved by law-keeping” kind of person.  He didn’t really think he needed salvation, certainly like this woman whose life was so much more sinful that his.

Second, what two issues must be resolved in salvation?

·        The sin issue must be resolved.  We are all missing the mark (definition of sin); we fall short of God’s glory (Rom. 3:23).  We do not have a right standing before God and we are living lives characterized by sin.

·        The righteousness issue must be resolved.  Without holiness no one will see God (Hb. 12:14).  Yet, there is none righteous (Rom. 3:10), including Simon.

Who must do the saving?  It is clear that man cannot since all are sinners.  God, the offended One is our only hope.  Perhaps He loves mankind enough to pardon the sinner.  And yet God can only do it if He can avoid becoming a sinner Himself.  As Romans says, He must be just (righteous) as well as the justifier (the One who declares us righteous).  God must satisfy the debt we owe Him because we have rebelled against Him; and yet it cannot cost us anything because we have nothing with which to pay.  In other words, it must be by grace!

Here is the good news.  God has done it!  Through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God has set forth as a propitiation by His blood. 

·        Redemption: Christ has paid the price we owe.  The wages of sin is death.  Jesus died in our place.

·        Propitiation: Christ satisfied the wrath of God, taking upon Himself God’s judgment that was reserved for us.

Since it is God’s grace (a gift freely given) we receive it by faith in Jesus.  Where was the faith?  It was in the woman’s love for Jesus (v47).  She was not saved by works; the works displayed her faith.  Where is the unbelief?  It is in Simon.  He loved little so he did not turn to Christ; he denied his need for Christ!

Friend, this is the gospel, the good news.  Do you believe in Christ?