Daily Service: GO AND SIN NO MORE

brucesbiblepage

Jan 1

john8_7

From Daily Service 21

John 8:2-11 NKJV Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him, and He sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?" This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." And again, He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."

john8_10-11b Get the picture here. A woman has been caught in adultery. But according to Mosaic Law, she and he would be brought before the council and stoned (the Bible doesn't mention the man she was caught with by the way) and is about to be stoned by the elders of the congregation. The elders are asking Jesus to judge her and condemn her, Jesus says you are without sin cast the first stone since none of them are squeaky clean (and we are talking about priests and elders here). They are "convicted by their own conscience" and turn away. It is not my job to judge anyone including both the godly and the ungodly, it is God's job. You take the love that God has for you and you pass it on. The Christ they see in you is the one that went to the cross and died for your sin, my sin, and yes, even the ungodly ones you keep judging. Show them God's love, not your condemnation. But back to my title line... At the end of that passage is Jesus talking to all of us; go and sin no more. All the love and grace are there but He is clear: Do not go back to whatever He just saved you from.