“As He was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her, what do you say?” They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against Him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with His finger. They kept demanding an answer, so He stood up again and said, “all right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone.” John 8:4-8 (NLT)
Jesus shows up early in the morning and begins to teach the crowd that gathers. The religious leaders and Pharisees want to trap Jesus and get Him to do or say something that they can use against Him. They bring in a woman who has been caught in a sin that according to the law, is punishable by death.
Jesus seems kind of chill. He just stoops down and begins doodling in the dust. Although, I do wonder if He was just doodling, or did He write or draw something specific, something that preceded His response. We don’ know, but He does respond and tells them that the one with no sin can throw the first stone. They drop their stones and leave Jesus and the woman. Jesus tells her to go and sin no more.
This story always reminds me of how quickly I can judge others, especially other believers, and overlook the sin in my own life. It can be so easy to want to point out others failures, especially those we see as “real sin.” It seems that in the church we want to judge and disqualify those we see as immoral or whose life looks different than what we think it should look like. All the while missing our own self-righteous pride and judgmental attitude. And for whatever reason, these sins get a pass. We, I allow myself to think higher of myself than I ought. I sin and need a Savior.
Jesus didn’t overlook the woman’s sin. He acknowledges it and tells her to go and sin no more. I don’t want to be like the religious leaders and jump quickly to “stoning” someone for their sin. I want to be like Jesus, extending grace and mercy and pointing them to the Cross. My role as a believer isn’t to judge others sin with a self-righteous attitude, it’s to point them to the Word, to Jesus, to redemption, forgiveness and healing.
How much more satisfying is it to love someone, pointing them to Jesus and watching them receive forgiveness and healing, than just condemning them. We all sin. We all need His saving grace. I need His forgiveness.
Lord, reveal to me the sin in my life today. Convict me of the things that are harmful to me and to others. Take me to my knees so that I can repent and be forgiven. Lord, help me to see others like you see them. I want to be your hands and feet, loving people and leading them to You. Amen.
What is God speaking to you today through John 8? Share your thoughts and insights in the comment section below.
John 8:11b Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.
Such precious words spoken by Jesus. Simple words that some struggle to grasp. My mind constantly goes. Sometimes I feel like it never stops. Thinking about things and questioning my every word or everything I do. I’m a people pleaser that struggles to say no when I need too and I have a bad habit of not forgiving myself when I mess up. I will apologize over and over if I make a mistake or did something wrong. My husband sometimes tells me to “stop apologizing”.
It’s simple, Jesus does not condemn me, so why do I condemn myself so much? I’m not sure but it’s something I’m working on.
My prayer today is that I will continue to learn to just accept forgiveness and move forward. That it will be put behind me. Jesus doesn’t condemn me! Therefore, there is no reason for me to condemn myself. It’s Him that I live to please.
Yes, this is so good! Something many of us need to hear today! I am forgiven!
So so good! “Go and sin no more”. He didn’t accept or tolerate her sin. He acknowledged it and basically told her to stop it! But he didn’t allow others to stone her for her sin, either. He invited anyone who’d never sinned to step up and have at it. And what did the crowd do? They all dropped their stones and left. They knew everyone of them could be standing where she was, facing the same judgements.
So so grateful for a Savior who convicts but doesn’t condemn.
Amen!
The next few verses after telling the woman to go and sin no more, are stating that Jesus is the Light of the World. And if we follow after him, we no longer have to live in darkness of sin, but can live in the light that leads to new life, a life without sin. We can strive to live a life without sin. That is my prayer today that I try to live my life with out sin. But when I do sin, I know that all I have to do is ask Jesus to forgive and he will. Thank you Jesus for you forgiveness and love.
Yes and amen!
Amen, Lisa!! Hope you are all well! Give Hannah a big hug for me! xo
They dropped their stones because they were not without sin! We need to drop our stones too for we all fall short!
Stasia said, “How much more satisfying is it to love someone, pointing them to Jesus and watching them receive forgiveness and healing, then just condemning them.”
I pray I will remember this point the next time my judgement brain kicks in. What do I need to do differently to love someone to Jesus vs condemning them with my silence, my expression, my thoughts???