Saved from...

Luke 7:36-50 the story of Jesus anointed by a sinful woman.

Jesus says that who much is forgiven there is much love.
7:47-Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.

Those of us who haven't had 'as much' forgiven.  How can we cultivate love for Christ?  When we campare ourselves to a perfect Holy God and recognize our sinful nature, then we can grow in love.  Our debt is greater then we imagine.  We forget how sinful we can be, we forget how unlike God we are.  We think "we're good", but we aren't.

I love Jesus much, not because I sinned much, but because I have been saved from my sin!  Because Christ is in me and changing me, I have been prevented from so much sin (through the conviction of the Holy Spirit).  I now realize when I see others sinning that that could be ME!  If I give in to sin I have the same capacity for sin that others have.  My heart was/is as fallen as others, the only reason I don't sin is because Christ transforming power at work in me.  His power saves me from sinning.  Those that don't have Christ don't have that power, they can't stop sinning.  That doesn't mean they are with excuse.  Christ understands our weakness, but he did something about it by becoming a man and dying for us.

For the first time I am thankful that my sin nature was not removed from me at salvation... My sin nature shows me what I am truly like and shows me that I am no different in myself (in my power) from the rest of the world.  Christ living in and through me is the difference.  He is the one that raised Himself from the dead and with that power changes me and keeps me from sin (when I submit to him).  The more I submit the easier it is to submit, the more I love, the easier it is to love.  Praise God not letting me forget what I have been saved from!  My conscience is clean and I am so thankful!

God saved me, Michelle Sprague, the wretched sinner by nature.