A shocking story of forgiveness

When he was on earth Jesus announced forgiveness to an immoral woman who had lived a sinful life. This woman, well known as a prostitute, came into the house where Jesus had been invited to dinner. In full view of all the guests, she knelt behind Jesus as he reclined at the table. She was weeping an

d her tears wet his feet. She wiped his feet with her hair! She kissed his feet! Then she poured perfume on them.
And Jesus accepted all she did. He did not pull his feet away. He did not push her off. There must have been an embarrassed silence followed by a buzz of excited conversation.
Jesus seized the opportunity to tell about two men. One owed 500 pieces of silver and the other 50. The money lender cancelled both debts. Jesus asked “Which of them will love the money lender more?” and Simon replied correctly. “The one who had the bigger debt cancelled”.
Jesus then turned to the woman and said her act of love showed how much she had been forgiven. Jesus did not say “Your love has saved you”, but “Your sins are forgiven. Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
Love is a proof of forgiveness.
The application for us today is equally clear. Jesus forgives and accepts even infamous sex sinners who give evidence of their repentance. We too should forgive and welcome sex sinners today. That is hard in practice because we often treat sex sins if they were worse than other sins and almost as if they were unforgivable.
For example, we know that not everyone who is HIV positive was infected as a result of their sinful behaviour. However sex sin may result in a person being infected with HIV.
Such a person may turn to God in sincerity and be born again, forgiven by God and filled with the Holy Spirit. Yet they will probably have to live with HIV as result of their sin. However if God has accepted them so should we, his people, who make up the church.
Surely there is no place for stigma or discrimination for God’s children who are his beloved ones.

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