Jesus’ Approach to Sin
By Emma Danzey
John 8:10-11 says, “Jesus straightened up and asked her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one, sir,’ she said. ‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’”
In John 8, we see the Pharisees (the religious rulers) once again trying to test Jesus. They always seemed to be after Him to stump Him and make Him look bad. Literally, He was the Christ, the One they and their people were waiting on, but His words and His answers were not what they imagined, and instead of having humility and spirits to learn from Him and hearts to love Him, they had hatred and desire to humiliate Him.
At the beginning of John 8, they literally bring a woman caught in the act of adultery to Him publicly to stone her. They must have plotted and watched this relationship unfold so that at just the right moment, they could use this woman as a “lesson.” The Pharisees say that in the Law, she should be stoned, and what does Jesus say about that? After writing in the sand, Jesus says in verse 7, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” All of the people go away one by one, beginning with those who are older (more aware of their wrongdoings). Suddenly, Jesus, the only perfect One, is left there with the woman.
“Jesus straightened up and asked her, ‘Woman, where are they?’”
The fact is that all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. No one was able to stay around and stone the woman. I love how Jesus asks the woman where they were. He is proving the point that He is the only one who is sinless because He stayed, and they were not able to be her judge. Have you ever felt humiliated by others and actually did something that was cause for embarrassment? This woman is caught in her sin. She is wrongly treated. She is a public display of our sinful condition. However, Jesus, who is able to be wrathful and justly stone her, chooses to refrain. He is the only righteous and perfect One.
Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one, sir,’ she said. ‘Then neither do I condemn you,’
Because of Jesus, there is no condemnation in Him. He asks the woman if anyone has condemned her, and she says no. He tells her that He does not condemn her. The point is not that he cannot, but He chooses not to and gives her undeserved grace. The truth is that we are all just like this woman. We all have sinned and been brought before our Savior in our shame and guilt, however, He took on our suffering and freed us instead. This kind of love changes us.
Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’
So does Jesus not care if we sin? Does he ignore the sin? Absolutely not. Jesus cares greatly if we sin. In fact, sin is what separated us from Him in the first place. It is not good for us. He has better for us. Sin is the reason He had to die a horrible and embarrassing death. Jesus continually taught a life of repentance, and He is consistent with that in this message as well. He tells the woman to go and leave her life of sin. We see this instruction given to others. The goal of grace is not to sin more but to understand the depth of forgiveness we have been given and strive by the power of the Holy Spirit to live a life that is honoring to the Lord.
Intersecting Faith and Life:
In what ways have you been like the Pharisees when it comes to the sins of others? How can you relate to the woman and remember the great grace Christ has given to you? In what ways can you repent or turn from the sins that are currently in your life?
Further Reading:
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/kevron2001
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