If you only read two of my posts this year, read yesterdays and today.

Caught in the Act, part 2 

John 8:3-11 

“Straightening up, Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?’ She said, ‘no one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.’” 

“He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” 

Now, this statement alone would strike the conscience of many of us who are sensitive to our own sins and would quickly remind us that we all are sinners. But the consciences of the Pharisees were hardened and they thought they were righteous and worthy to condemn. So, I have to believe that what Jesus wrote on the ground somehow made public the personal sins of the accusers. But we don’t know for sure. 

Here’s the lesson He was teaching: No one was worthy to judge and condemn this woman, except Jesus Himself. 

The words of Jesus and His writings on the ground, cleared the room. No one stayed. They were confronted with their own sins and they walked away from the Savior. Only the woman stayed. All the others were exposed in their own minds and fled. The woman had nowhere else to go. 

Note to self: When my conscience reveals to me my sin, conviction and guilt, never walk away from the Savior! Go toward the Savior! Don’t run! He will always accept and forgive the humble and contrite sinner. 

The woman, with nowhere else to go, stayed at the feet of Jesus. “Straightening up, Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.’” 

Here’s a quick point of significance;  

• When the Pharisees approached Jesus, they addressed Him as “teacher”. The woman addressed Him as “Lord”. 

• When the Pharisees were confronted with their sin, they left the Savior. The woman, on the other hand, was caught, was guilty, was burdened and broken. She stayed and, in her heart, she must have said, “Lord, forgive me, I am a sinner in need of forgiveness.” 

Jesus deals with the heart. Our words and our actions will always fail us. We can’t be good enough to deserve salvation. But, Praise God, Jesus deals with the heart. We are only asked to believe and receive. 

Remember in my previous post, I stated that this story confronts us with a major theological issue: The balance of God’s grace vs. the Justice of God? Let’s deal with it. 

In that moment, all alone with the adulteress, Jesus did what only He could do. He fully dealt with the justice needed to condemn this woman and at the same time, He extended His grace, mercy and forgiveness and declared, “NOT CONDEMNED”. 

In that moment, Jesus was well aware of the full weight of the condemnation, pain, and terror that He would endure on the cross for this specific woman. Bearing the weight of sin in His body on her behalf. In the timeless and eternal effect of His sacrifice on the cross for her, He transferred the condemnation she deserved to Himself. How do I know this? There is no other way for Him to say, “I DO NOT CONDEMN YOU.” He took the condemnation on her behalf. Justice was served as well as love, grace and forgiveness. 

Jesus cannot make that statement casually. In her heart, on bended knee, in utter shame, with nowhere else to go, she must have believed and received the Savior. Jesus, knowing her heart and knowing His imminent sacrifice would include taking on her specific condemnation, He declared, “I do not condemn you.” At that moment she joined the ranks of the forgiven! Now that she is saved, she is empowered by the Savior through the Holy Spirit to step away from her life of sin. 

This is AMAZING BEYOND AMAZING AND GRACE UPON GRACE AND FORGIVENESS UPON FORGIVENESS.  

This is our Savior! The accusers couldn’t trap him between Justice and Grace. Why? Because He is the perfect fulfillment of BOTH. He fulfilled both toward this precious, lovely woman who was filled with sin and a myriad of difficult issues in her life.  

He has fulfilled both justice and love toward me as well; a sinner with a trillion sins to my name in thought and action; a sinner for whom Christ died; I am no longer condemned. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” Romans 8:1. 

He will fulfill both justice and grace for you. Don’t leave Him. Stay with Him, even if everyone else departs. Stay with Him and whisper right now the prayer of your heart. Amen!