THE TRIPOD OF FAITH.
ZACCHAEUS was a dubious tax collector: he met JESUS and quickly announced to make RESTITUTION.
Lk. 19:1-10.
If Zacchaeus had only CRIED bitterly for his EVIL WAYS that day and if he continued it for whatever reason, he would have become a HARDENED HYPOCRITE. Yet, the Word tells us, this is not the case!
After meeting Jesus, Zacchaeus publicly declared his intention to give half of his possessions to the poor and to repay anyone he had defrauded, four times the amount. He did this as a demonstration of his repentance and faith, and Jesus declared that salvation had come to his house.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown:
- Repentance and Restitution: Zacchaeus, a wealthy tax collector, was moved by Jesus’s presence and invitation to his home. He responded by publicly announcing his commitment to giving away half of his wealth and repaying those he had cheated with a fourfold restitution.
- Changed Heart: This act demonstrated a significant change in Zacchaeus’s heart and priorities. He recognized his wrongdoing and expressed a desire to make amends, indicating a shift from self-interest to generosity and concern for others.
- Salvation Declared: Jesus responded to Zacchaeus’s actions by stating that salvation had come to his house, signifying that Zacchaeus had been forgiven and accepted by God.
- New Priorities: Zacchaeus’s transformation highlights the power of encountering Jesus and the subsequent change in one’s life. He went from being a despised tax collector to a man who embraced generosity and righteousness.
Sadly, such is the story of many believers. REPENTANCE, CONVERSION and the consequent CHANGES come from CONVICTION not EMOTION; a diluted or twisted GOSPEL only appeals to people’s EMOTIONS to motivate them but never PIERCES their HEARTS to expose their SINS hence many may CRY and opt for the ALTAR CALLS several times! But they are never CONVINCED to CHANGE – a message for the PREACHERS!
Dear reader, the danger therein is that our SINS won’t ever be blotted out by God for one to enjoy SPIRITUAL REFRESHING until one backs up his/her REPENTANCE with a CHANGE of word and deed… so, it’s good to be SORROWFUL for one’s wrongdoings, but it is better to replace it with GOD’S will.
We’re blessed!🙌🙏🔥