From chapters 9 – 11 of Romans, Paul wrestles with the mysteries of pre-destination.  Finally at the end he seems almost to throw his hands up in the air and admit he can’t explain it.  This reaction seems triggered by the remarkable conclusion he comes to in Romans 11:32:

“For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.”

I was listening to Luke 7 in the car on the way to work and struck again by the words Jesus spoke to Simon the Pharisee:

“..to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” (Luke 7:47)

I believe now that the reason Jesus gave the Pharisees such a hard time was to make them realise, if at all possible, that they were just as bad as any prostitute.  Only by realising this could they be forgiven much and so love much.  In the light of the infinite holiness of God, we are all sinners to the same degree.  It is just that some of us have a hard time realising it.

Blessed is the man or woman who is forgiven much (Psalm 32:1).