In John 8:3-5, we read about the scribes and the Pharisees who brought a woman caught in adultery to Jesus. They placed her in front of Him and said, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?”
Jesus responded by not condemning her. Instead, He offered grace, telling the woman that she was not condemned and encouraging her to go and sin no more. This reflects a crucial message for all of us. While we may face condemnation from others or from within ourselves, our Lord wants us to understand that we are free from sin. This freedom does not give us a license to sin; rather, it gives us the opportunity to grow.
As stated in Romans 6:1-2, “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” When we are confronted with our sins, we bring them to the Lord, not out of condemnation but with the hope of being set free. Galatians 5:1 reinforces this: “For freedom, Christ has set us free; stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”
When we or others point out a sin in our lives, it can be easy to become fixated on that specific sin, leading to bondage. Jesus told the woman caught in adultery, “I don’t condemn you; go and sin no more.” He knew that He would bear the burden of her sin, allowing her to focus on Him and His love, which would compel her to change.
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 states, “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again.”
We are no longer held captive by sin. We are not condemned by it; instead, we are set free and compelled by the love of Christ. When the Spirit convicts us of our sins, we remember the gospel and come to the Lord with a broken and contrite heart. We confess our sins, and He cleanses us. This is the transformative work of the cross. Identify with Christ not the sin in your life.
For further reflection, meditate on 1 John 1:9.
I find it interesting that only the woman is called out here for adulterous actions. Was the sin of the man ignored?
Deuteronomy 22:22 “If a man is found lying with the wife of another man, both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman. So you shall purge the evil from Israel.
One of the hardest times I have had as a deacon was dealing with others in the church. We can’t tread so lightly that we never address the sins (including our own), yet we also cannot ignore them. We cannot grow closer to God without constantly trying to be more like Christ.
I know I can quickly judge the actions of others, but I also know I am constantly being judged too.
Each time I got promoted it put me under the microscope of more and more people. If I embraced that, it would force me to focus on correcting even the minor details in my life.
Don’t fear the judgment, embrace it and make a change for the better.
A persistent struggle with sin does not keep a Christian from heaven. But the way that person deals with his sin is an indicator of his spiritual health.There is no such thing as healthy sin.God can use sin in our lives as a tool to teach us, often by allowing difficult situations or consequences from our actions to lead us to repentance, growth, and a closer relationship with Him; this aligns with the concept that even in our failings, God can work for our good and use our experiences to refine our character. While God can use sin as a teaching tool, it’s important to understand that He does not approve of sin and actively desires for us to live righteously. Romans 8:28:
This verse states that “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose”. This means that even negative experiences can be used by God for our ultimate good.
Well said brother!
The main lesson I draw from John 8:3-5 is to stop dwelling on my past sin, accept Jesus’ forgiveness, and move on. This has often been a difficult task for me as I know that I was once far worse than the average sinner. But as Jesus said, “he who is forgiven little, loves little”. Luke 7-47. I have been forgiven so much, and I love Him greatly!