“But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
Luke 19:8 (NIV)
The people muttered -“ There Jesus goes hanging around sinners again.”
Then Zacchaeus stood up and said “…” and the people were quiet, but Jesus called him saved.
This is a wonderful story to tell children, to teach them of the love of Jesus for sinners, and that sinners don’t stay sinners when they hang around with Jesus - they repent.
What about us adults - can we learn anything from this “children’s” story. It wasn’t written for children you know - it was written for adults.
Is it really possible to confess your sins and expect forgiveness without any intention of changing your ways? Are we not mocking God by eating with Him at the Lord’s supper and confessing our sin without any intention of changing our ways.
God forbid that we would come to His cross for forgiveness and not promise to change our ways.
You may say - well John I learned not to promise to Christ because I have broken my promise to Him many many times, and I don’t want to disappoint Him again.
Friend – when His children come to Him seeking forgiveness but are not willing to state their intention to change their ways - we have already disappointed him, and on the basis of this account are not likely to be forgiven.
Sinners who eat with Christ change their ways.
Not relying on themselves to pull up their socks, or to just stop doing that.
But relying on the Holy Spirit to change our inward being.
He won’t do that work unless we have made our minds up we want the work done.
Its called surrender.
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