The Thankful Prostitute...

"And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, and stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spoke within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that touches him: for she is a sinner. And Jesus answering said to him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto you. And he said, Master, say on. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, You hast rightly judged. And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, See this woman? I entered into your house, you gave me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. You gave me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil you did not anoint: but this woman has anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore 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. And he said unto her, You sins are forgiven. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgives sins also? And he said to the woman, Your faith has saved thee; go in peace" (Luke 7:36-50)

This was a very sinful woman, and she was touching Jesus. Simon knew this. But what he didn't know, was that this was no ordinary Man. Jesus of Nazareth was without sin. He was tempted just as you and I are tempted, but He never sinned even once—not even with a lustful thought. He was morally perfect, in thought, word, and in deed. If you think I’m wrong, try and fault Him, and you will end up being the one who is at fault.

In the Book of Job, poor suffering Job cried out "I have made a covenant with my eyes; why should I then think on a maid?" What man doesn’t feel the power of lust grip his mind? Our eye may be pure, but our heart certainly isn’t. Many a man has destroyed his marriage because adultery began with a lustful look. The Bible says that it "brings forth" sin, and it certainly does. King David's adultery and murder began with a lust-filled look.

On another occasion, when the religious leaders upbraided Jesus for not washing His hands in a religious ritual before He ate, He said that it wasn’t what goes into the mouth that makes a man unclean, but what comes out:

"But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashed hands defileth not a man" (Matthew 15:18-20).

These sins come out of the heart of man—lust, adultery, fornication, etc. So whatever you do, don't become religious in an effort to overcome sin. Religion lets sin live within the heart. Repent and trust in Jesus Christ, and God will reckon all your sin as dead in Christ and He will give you the righteousness of Christ. That means that you will be clean in His sight on the Day of Judgment. And just like that immoral woman, the more you see your sins, the more you will love God and worship Him for His mercy.

EDIT: "It seems that this woman was a prostitute" changed to "this was a very sinful woman."