This was the beginning of a new life to this tempted, fallen soul, a life of purity and peace, devoted to the service of God. In raising this woman to a life of virtue, Jesus performed a greater act than that of healing the most grievous bodily malady; he cured the sickness of the soul which is unto death everlasting. This penitent woman became one of the firmest friends of Jesus. She repaid his forgiveness and compassion, with a self-sacrificing love and worship. Afterward, when she stood sorrow-stricken at the foot of the cross, and saw the dying agony on the face of her Lord, and heard his bitter cry, her soul was pierced afresh; for she knew that this sacrifice was on account of sin; and her responsibility as one whose deep guilt had helped to bring about this anguish of the Son of God, seemed very heavy indeed. She felt that those pangs which pierced the Saviour’s frame were for her; the blood that flowed from his wounds was to blot out her record of sin; the groans which escaped from his dying lips were caused by her transgression. Her heart ached with a sorrow past all expression, and she felt that a life of self-abnegating atonement would poorly compensate for the gift of life, purchased for her at such an infinite price. {2SP 352.2}

Dette var begyndelsen til at nyt liv for denne fristede, faldne sjæl, et liv i hellighed og fred, ofret til Herrens tjeneste. Idet Jesus løste denne kvinde op til et dydigt liv, udførte han en større gerning, end da han helbredte den mest ondartede sygdom. Han helbredte sjælens sygdom, som bringer evig død. Denne angergivne kvinde blev en af Jesu oprigtige venner. Hun gengældte hans medlidenhed og tilgivelse med selvopofrende kærlighed og hengivenhed. Da hun siden efter stod dybt bedrøvet ved korsets fod og så sin herres dødskamp og hørte hans smertefulde råb, gennemboredes hendes hjerte på nyt; thi hun vidste, at dette offer skete på grund af synden. Det ansvar, hun havde pådraget sig, idet hun ved sin store synd havde bidraget denne smerte over Guds Søn, syntes i sandhed stort. Hun følte, at de (353) kvaler, som gennemtrængte Frelserens legeme, var for hende; blodet som flød af hans sår, flød for at udslette hendes synd. De suk, som undslap hans døende læber, forårsagedes ved hendes overtrædelse. Hendes hjerte blødte af sorg, som overgår al beskrivelse, og hun følte, at et liv fuldt af selvfornægtelse blot ville være en ringe betaling for det evige livs gave, som Jesus så uendelig dyrt havde købt til hende.