Romans 5:1; and the peace of God, look up Philippians 4:7.

She was now a new person altogether, look up

2 Corinthians 5:17; she went out to live a changed life,
no longer an immoral life but a new life altogether.
What we read of here in Luke, chapter 7, was only the
beginning. She received a new heart, she built a new
home, she gathered around her a new set of friends,
she employed her time and earned her living in a
completely new way, indeed, all things became new.
Look up the following references to people whose
lives were completely transformed by the grace of God
and the power of Christ: the Demon Possessed Man,
Mark 5:15; Saul of Tarsus, 1 Timothy 1:12-16; the
Corinthians, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; the Thessalonians,
1 Thessalonians 1:9; and the Ephesians, Ephesians
2:1-12. Can you say, "What a wonderful change in my
life has been wrought since Jesus came into my heart?
Oh, wonder of all wonders,
That thro' Thy death for me,
My open sins, my secret sins,
Can all forgiven be.
Then melt my heart, O Saviour,
Bend me, yea, break me down,
Until I own Thee Conqueror,
And Lord and Sov'reign crown.

TEN GREAT NEW TESTAMENT CONVERSIONS

F. W. Dixon
Study 3
THE WOMAN WHO WAS A SINNER
Scripture Reading: Luke 7:36-50
The incident recorded in Luke 7:36-50 is an illustration of
our Lord's words in Matthew 9:13 and of the apostle's
words in 1 Timothy 1:15. It is a moving story of a woman
who was well known in the district in which she lived for
the kind of life she lived. The phrase "a sinner" was not a
general statement. It was at the time synonymous with "a
harlot". She was also well known by the Lord Jesus. He
was indeed a prophet, and knew all about her, look at verse
39, and compare John 4:19 and 29. She came to love and
trust the Lord as her Saviour, and from His lips she heard
His gracious word of assurance, look at verse 50. The fact
that she was a sinner was this woman's qualification for
coming to the Saviour. He needed her, and she needed
Him. Thank God, the gospel is for sinners! Of course, the
Pharisee in whose house the Lord Jesus was a guest was
also a sinner, but whereas the woman was a 500 pence
sinner, or "debtor", Simon was only a 50-pence sinner! But
they were both sinners and they both needed forgiveness,
see what Galatians 3:10 and James 2:10 say! Let us look at
this sinful woman, however, and trace her path from sin to
salvation, from misery to a life of peace and joy. Notice
the five steps she took.
1. She acknowledged her sin and guilt.
It would seem that she had met the Saviour before this,
had listened to His gracious words and had actually
believed His message and trusted Him. This interview
with he Lord Jesus was not the first time she had seen
or met Him. Although we have noticed and
emphasized the fact that she was a sinner of a special
kind, the important thing for us to notice is that we are
all sinners, though we may not be guilty of the sin
which characterized the life of this woman. We are
sinners by birth, sinners by nature and sinners by

practice, look up Psalm 51:5; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Isaiah

53:6 and Romans 3:23; and because of our sin, like
this woman we are guilty before God, look up Romans
6:23. It was because she, and because we, are in such
need of salvation that the Lord Jesus came and shed
His precious blood to make it possible for us to be
saved, look up Matthew 1:21 and 1 Peter 1:18-19, and
compare Romans 5:6-8.
2. She exercised faith in the Saviour.
We know this because Jesus said so, look at verse 50.
Her action in coming to the Saviour in Simon's house
proved that she believed in Him and was beginning to
trust Him, even if she had not yet fully trusted Him.
What a moment it was for her to realize that she could
be forgiven and made clean! Look up Isaiah 1:18. It
was all too wonderful. In the Lord Jesus there was
pardon and cleansing for her, just as there is for
anyone who will come to Him and confess his need
and trust completely in Him. It is not enough to
believe that He can forgive you, that He can cleanse
you; you must trust Him to do it. You must "wash, and
be clean", look up 2 Kings 5:13-14. This is what this
woman did.
3. She at once received full and free forgiveness.
We can be quite sure about this because of verses 47
and 48. Jesus said it, and He is the only One Who can
forgive sin and cleanse the sinner, look up Acts 13:38.
For your confident assurance, look up these references
and see what happens to your sins the moment you put
your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for pardon.
(1) According to Psalm 703:12, your transgressions
are completely removed.
(2) According to Isaiah 1:18, you are made
absolutely clean.
(3) According to Isaiah 38:17, your sins are cast

behind God's back.

(4) According to Isaiah 44:22, the record of your sins
is erased.
(5) According to Isaiah 43:25, your sins are
completely forgotten.
(6) According to Micah 7:19, your sins are cast into
the depths of the sea.
(7) And, according to 1 John 1:9, there is full and
free forgiveness for you, every moment and every
day, as you come in humble confession and
contrition before the Lord.
4. She demonstrated openly her faith and her love for
the Lord.
We are told this in verses 38-48. The guests were
reclining on couches, supporting themselves with one
elbow and serving themselves with their other hand.
Suddenly this woman, now forgiven, trusting the
Saviour and overwhelmed with gratitude, came and
expressed her love for her Lord. Look at the Gift that
she brought. See the Tears that flowed from her eyes.
Notice her Kiss; the tenderness and with what
gratitude she kissed our Lord's feet. But notice this:
she was not forgiven because of her love, her gifts, her
tears or her kisses. She was forgiven and cleansed on
the grounds of God's free grace; but her love, her gifts,
her tears and her kisses were the expression of her
gratitude for the salvation which she had received by
faith, look up Ephesians 2:8-10.
5. She changed her ways.
It is significant that the words in verse 50, "go in
peace", literally read "go into peace". So the Lord,
having forgiven her, cleansed her and given her the
assurance of salvation, sent her forth into a new life
where she would know peace with God, look up