He Who Has Been Forgiven Much, Loves Much.
I. THE TRUTH
A. We are beautiful to God even in our weakness.
Song 1:5 Dark am I, yet lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, dark like the tents of Kedar, like the tent curtains
of Solomon. 6 Do not stare at me because I am dark, because I am darkened by the sun. My mother’s sons
were angry with me and made me take care of the vineyards; my own vineyard I have neglected.
B. Jesus enjoyed the disciples even on their worst night.
Luke 22:24 Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the
greatest.
Mark 14:50 Then they all forsook Him and fled.
John 15:9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.
II. WHY IS THIS TRUE?
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
Galatians 6:15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation.
A. When we are regenerated we are completely re-created. Not revived or renewed or renovated, but re-created.
Made of a new substance.
B. Why is this necessary?
1. God has revealed Himself to every human in two ways.
a. He’s written His law on every heart
Romans 1:19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
Romans 2:1 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge
another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.
b. Creation reveals His invisible attributes
Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood
by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
2. Every human suppresses the truth, rejects God and turns away.
Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of
men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness
Romans 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a
debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
Romans 3:10-18 As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;
There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”
“Their throat is an open tomb;
With their tongues they have practiced deceit”;
“The poison of asps is under their lips”;
“Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”
“Their feet are swift to shed blood;
Destruction and misery are in their ways;
And the way of peace they have not known.”
“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
3. Ingratitude = pride
Romans 1:21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but
became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
c. Our ingratitude produces ignorance rather than being caused by ignorance.
d. We’re not damned for ignorance but for the sinister pride in every human heart to cheapen God’s glory into
the image of man.
4. All have sinned & fallen short (lack the reflection) of God’s glory (Romans 3:23), & the wages of sin is death
(Romans 6:23).
Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells
5. This puts every human in a position of being an enemy of God under His wrath
Colossians 1:21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He
has reconciled
John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for
God’s wrath (anger, the feeling and expression of strong displeasure and hostility) remains on him.”
James 4:6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES
GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” Opposed - to range in battle against, to set oneself against:
6. All human beings are born into sin and alienated from God and are God’s enemies because of evil (futile) thinking
and evil behavior (root - gross ingratitude – Romans 1:21)
7. For those who reject the Son of God – (the very essence of pride), God’s hostility, anger, wrath, and vengeance is
aimed against them in battle.
C. What does it look like to be an enemy of God?
Psalms 21:8 Your hand will find out all your enemies; Your right hand will find out those who hate you.
9 You will make them as a fiery oven in the time of your anger; The LORD will swallow them up in His wrath,
And fire will devour them. 10 Their offspring You will destroy from the earth, And their descendants from
among the sons of men. 11 Though they intended evil against You [And] devised a plot, They will not
succeed. 12 For You will make them turn their back; You will aim with Your bowstrings at their faces.
D. Hell is just and right - To show ingratitude to an infinitely glorious God is an infinite crime worthy of an infinite
punishment.
III. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO CONTEMPLATE AND GRASP OUR DEPRAVITY?
A. Our life goal should be to be great at the greatest commandment … loving God.
Matthew 22:37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART,
WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment.
B. He who has been forgiven much will love much.
Luke 7:47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom
little is forgiven, the same loves little.”
IV. WHAT IS THE SUBSTANCE OF THE NEW CREATION?
1 John 3:9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot
go on sinning, because he has been born of God.
A. The substance of our new creation is the very seed (sperma) of God. It is the divine DNA infused into our dead
spirits.
1 Peter 1:18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were
redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19 but with the precious
blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but
was revealed in these last times for your sake.
1 Peter 1:23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living
and enduring word of God.
B. Jesus is the Word of God – he himself comes and dwells within – He is the enduring word of God.
1 Peter 1:24 For, “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers
and the flowers fall, 25 but the word of the Lord stands forever.” And this is the word that was preached to
you.
1. It is because we are now in Christ that we receive the favor of God.
Colossians 3:3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ who is our life appears,
then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Romans 6:11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2because through
Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:37-39 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am
convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor
any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from
the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord
I Corinthians 1:4 I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus..
II Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has
come!
II Corinthians 5:19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against
them.
Ephesians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly
realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
Ephesians 2:6-7 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ
Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in
his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
2. God delights in us as lovely not based upon anything we bring to the table but because of the beauty of Himself that
he sees reflected back to Himself. We possess this divine nature – it is our true identity.
a. This treasure in EARTHEN VESSELS
C. God’s appearance
Revelation 4, Ezekiel 1
D. The Bride’s appearance
Revelation 21
V. FOR ETERNITY WE WILL GROW IN THE BEAUTY, KNOWLEDGE, AND IMAGE OF THE DIVINE,
UNCREATED ONE.