Before Zacchaeus had looked upon the face of Christ, he had begun the work that made him manifest as a true penitent. Before being accused by man, he had confessed his sin. He had yielded to the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and had begun to carry out the teaching of the words written for ancient Israel as well as for ourselves. The Lord had said long before, "If thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee. Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee. Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase." "Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God." Lev. 25:35-37, 17. These words had been spoken by Christ Himself when He was enshrouded in the pillar of cloud, and the very first response of Zacchaeus to the love of Christ was in manifesting compassion toward the poor and suffering.

En omvendelse er ikke ægte, hvis den ikke medfører en reform. Kristi retfærdighed er ikke en kappe, hvormed man kan tildække synder, man ikke har bekendt og afstået fra. Den er et livs princip, der forvandler karakteren og behersker ens vandel. Hellighed vil sige helt at leve for Gud. Det betyder en fuldkommen overgivelse af hjertet og livet til bolig for de himmelske grundsætninger.