Forgiveness and Gratitude

But those who are most conscious of forgiveness are invariably those who have been most acutely convicted of their sin. – (The Christian Life by Sinclair Ferguson, “Conviction of Sin,” p.39)

How beautiful it is to picture the grateful woman who wet Jesus’ feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair! (Luke 7:36-50.) What a lesson of gratitude for us! Evidently, this “sinner” saw her sinfulness, recognized the Savior for who he was, and received forgiveness. Her gratitude was a result of godly conviction of sin and repentance.

I often act as though I don’t need forgiveness. Take for instance when I have offended another person. I try to explain why I spoke or acted the way I did and ask for understanding, rather than forgiveness. But if I saw that Christ has paid my debt completely, I would be honest about my sin. Like the sinful woman, I would be grateful for God’s forgiveness. I have nothing to hide. In fact, confession of my sin would bring God glory! This is why he came to die. Knowing God’s forgiveness means that I should be real with myself and others, after all, God knows my thoughts fully (Psalm 139), yet still loves me—He died to make me clean!

Often, I am not open with my sinfulness, because I make an idol of holiness and want to look clean before others. I act like a Pharisee, wishing to establish my own standing before God, rather than acknowledge the beauty of the Savior. When I act as though I don’t need God’s forgiveness, I lack a conviction of sin. I am ungrateful for God’s work. I am prone to become an idolater.

But what a contrast the sinful woman shows. She is thankful. Thankfulness is a remedy against idolatry. When I am thankful, I am least prone to lust after women, to lust after the praise of men, and to lust after money. When I have forgotten that sin is my greatest enemy and why Jesus came to die, I go down a trail of sin: pride, ungratefulness, and self-pity. How much better it is to receive the words of the Shepherd, who has power to forgive! Jesus said to the woman “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” – Luke 7:50

Being ungrateful is a result of forgetting my status. Instead of trying harder to make myself holy, I should be grateful for redemption, accomplished and applied through the Son. His death brings me forgiveness, full and free.