Luke 7:47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

The word love here is agapao, not agape. While looking at the definition of agapao I found this descriptor. I thought it was more complete than many of the other definitions.

“In respect of agapao as used of God, it expresses the deep and constant “love” and interest of a perfect Being towards entirely unworthy objects, producing and fostering a reverential “love” in them towards the Giver, and a practical “love” towards those who are partakers of the same, and a desire to help others to seek the Giver.” Source: Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Terms – Strong’s Number G25

That “perfect Being” is Jesus Christ, agape is a noun, agapao is the verb. What I find interesting in Luke 7:47 is that our ability to express love is tied directly to forgiveness. I find it difficult if not impossible to love someone whom I have not forgiven. I find it even more difficult to forgive someone who is guilty of the sins which I have committed and failed to forgive myself first.

Many focus on the issue of being unworthy objects and never get over that fact. We have to trust God and His Word.

Romans 3:24-26 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

Our justification is a declared state, it is because God has judged our quality through the blood of His Son’s sacrifice and not by anything we have done.

Galatians 6:12 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation 

At the core of every persecution is a judgment. The Jews of that time pleaded with Pilate to crucify Christ. Having seen the resurrection they believed, so what is the problem here? Why do they fear being persecuted? Why do they seek to escape being judged?

A simple answer is that they have not forgiven themselves for what they did. The same sort of behavior exists today. We desire God’s forgiveness for the sins we have committed knowing full well there is nothing we can do to earn it and yet we still try.

Isaiah 65:5-7 (KJV) Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day. Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom, Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the Lord, which have burned incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed me upon the hills: therefore will I measure their former work into their bosom.

Those who invent penance to assuage their own guilt have not embraced the Cross of Christ in forgiveness. He paid our debt and we owe Him our lives. Our lives are His to use as He wills, but He does not desire to use a soul in bondage to the past. He has set you free from this guilt, so embrace it.