8 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."
Ah, the sweet sounds of a repentant heart! As far as it depends on you, make right the offense - repentance calls! Unlike the rich young ruler who was saddened by Jesus’ words, Zacchaeus voluntarily announces that he would give half of his possessions to the poor and repay fourfold all he had wronged. His desire was to publically demonstrate to those around him that his time with Jesus had resulted in his life being changed. This begs the same question for us dear reader, has our time with Jesus resulted in our lives being changed? It matters, you know. Is the fruit of repentance evident in our lives for those around us to see? I am reminded of Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians:
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Cor 5:17 (NIV)
“We must first be in Christ before we are new creatures. This is a common fault among us; we would fain have something before we come; we think God’s pardons are not free, but we must bring something in our hand; whereas the proclamation runs thus: ‘Buy without money;’ that is, come without any excellency at all; because we are commanded to ‘come, and take the water of life freely.’ Therefore do not say I have a fretful disposition, and a hard heart, and cannot mourn for sin as I should, therefore I will stay till that be done. It is all one as if you should say, I must go to the physician, but I will have my wounds well, and my disease healed first. The end of going to Christ is, that this very hardness of thy heart may be taken away; that this very deadness of thy spirit may be removed; that thou mayest be enlightened, quickened, healed; that thou mayest hate sin, for He is thy Physician. Look not for sanctification, nor for genuine fruits of righteousness, till thy soul is united unto Christ by a living faith; for it is faith that purifies the heart, and works (that is produces good works) by love. Thou must first be in Christ, grafted into Christ by faith, before thou canst be a new creature.” K.H. Von Bogatzky
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Eph 2:8-10 (NIV)
The basis for our changed life and our salvation is grace – God’s unmerited favor towards us while we were yet sinners:
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8 (NIV)
By nature, we are all miserable sinners – excluded from citizenship – alienated foreigners without God and without hope – hardhearted, dead.
“All that Jesus made possible becomes mine through the free and loving gift of God on the basis of what Christ accomplished on the cross. And my attitude as a saved and sanctified soul is that of profound, humble holiness (there is no such thing as proud holiness). It is a holiness based on agonizing repentance, a sense of inexpressible shame and degradation, and also on the amazing realization that the love of God demonstrated itself to me while I cared nothing about Him. He completed everything for my salvation and sanctification. No wonder Paul said that nothing ‘shall be able to separate us form the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’(Romans 8:39).” Oswald Chambers
“God is the first Cause, the effective Cause, and the final Cause of everything. His deep ways are beyond man’s discovering; beyond man’s knowing, beyond man’s counseling, and beyond man’s giving. “All things” come from Him and by means of Him; and are for Him and His glory. Therefore, To Him be the glory forever! Amen. God is the only proper One to magnify. The all-sovereign God deserves the praise of all His creatures.” Bible Knowledge Commentary
33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 34 "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" 35 "Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?" 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. Romans 11:33-36 (NIV)