The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 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.”
Jesus came to seek and save the lost. In the above story, He saves a woman who, according to law, was deserving of death. This is no different than the grace He offers to each and every one of us, too. The law sets a perfect standard and we all have fallen short of it, therefore deserving death. Jesus instead says “I don’t condemn you.” But, He goes on to say more, “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
When He says this, however, it’s not another command just like all the ones we’ve broken before. If that were the case, it would just be one more rule for us to break and one more way to fall short. Instead, it’s empowering. When Jesus said this to the woman in the story, He empowered her to leave her sin and live righteously. She may have felt trapped in her sin, but these words were freeing, not condemning.
So, are there areas of your life that Jesus has forgiven you but you haven’t taken His empowering to leave your sin? If so, do so today. Leave your sin behind. Walk in freedom and righteousness. Don’t just resolve to do better in the flesh, abide in His Spirit and in His Word each day. As you do, the temptations to return to sin will fail in comparison to the greatness of knowing Jesus.
Father God, thank you so much for sending Jesus. Thank you for this story in which we clearly see Jesus’ love for people. Thank you that Jesus did not condemn this woman because He loves her and that He does not condemn us either. Thank you also that you empowered her and you empower us to leave our sinful habits. Please help us to recognize this empowerment and walk away from those sins you have already forgiven. Teach us how to abide in you and your Word. In Jesus’ name, amen!
Jesus empowers us to leave our sin.
credits from: http://prod.daily-
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment