“And as they continued to ask Him, He stood up and said to them, ‘Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.’ And once more He bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before Him. Jesus stood up and said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.'” John 8:7-11
Devotional Thought For The Day
There was no need for Jesus to “judge” this woman – the Scribes and Pharisees had already done this on the basis of God’s written Word, Holy Scripture. Further, Jesus’ response to this situation and to the woman was predicated upon her having already “judged” herself, and her having already repented [1 Cor. 11:31]. We can’t look into her heart but Jesus could – He knows all things, including the deepest things in our hearts. [John 21:17] We can surmise what was in her heart by what Jesus did and said to her. We can also see what is in the heart of Jesus by what He did and said to her. He obviously knows all about all our sins, He obviously knows the condemnation of His holy Word against all sins, He obviously knows that we stand under the just condemnation and curse of His Law, and yet His goal is not for us to remain under condemnation, but rather that we repent of our sin so that He can absolve us, pronounce us forgiven, remove our condemnation from us, and bring us into the freedom and inner renewal of faith. This He did in His suffering and death on the cross – “There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” [Rom. 8:1], “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life. He does not come into condemnation, but has passed from death to life.” [John 5:24] Thanks and praise be to Jesus!
There are times when our impenitence is plain and evident – whether we are acting and arguing with integrity, with what is actually in our hearts, or whether we are posturing, merely defending and justifying ourselves even though we know in our hearts that we are in the wrong. At such times we must be warned that in our apparent impenitence we do in fact remain under condemnation of God’s Law, so that we be humbled and brought to genuine repentance, so that we may be absolved, brought to faith in God’s gracious mercy and forgiveness and love, that the condemnation be removed from us. This is more difficult and painful than what Jesus had to do with this woman – she had already come to genuine repentance. When we, and those whom we admonish do come to this genuine repentance, then we have the joy of doing and saying just what Jesus did – “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” Indeed, we speak these words for Jesus, in His stead, in His ministry to others around us, assuring them of His gracious forgiveness and mercy, the salvation which He earned and effected for us in His suffering and death on the cross as the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world. This is Jesus’ will and goal for all people – as we see in His own Words, and as we administer His gracious forgiveness and love to others we are doing His will and His work.
Our sinful nature, and that of unbelievers, looks at all of this as “too easy” and even unjust. This is understandable, but it is gross spiritual ignorance and darkness. Jesus didn’t say “Neither do I condemn you – continue doing this sin and whatever other sins you feel inclined to do.” No, all who truly grasp the forgiveness and mercy of God in Christ Jesus know that we are instructed and compelled to “go and sin no more.” This is genuine repentance, a turning of heart and mind away from sin and toward what is truly good, righteous, and loving – what God’s Word instructs, His Law. This is not easy – and over and over again we find ourselves guilty and condemned by God’s Law, kneeling before Jesus to hear His judgment, to hear His reassurance: “Neither do I condemn you. . . . You are forgiven.” And each time we also hear His encouragement of love, His instruction to love – “go and sin no more.” And we know that He is right, that we cannot remain in commitment to sin, orienting our lives to continued and ongoing sin. We have repented, we have been forgiven and delivered from condemnation, and we have been freed and empowered to serve God, to serve others in true and genuine love – by keeping His Law, of which love is the fulfillment. [Rom. 13:10] So “we love because He first loved us” [1 John 4:19], and we return to His love in genuine repentance over and over again each day, and in consequence we grow in love.
So we must be careful in how we interact with and minister to others. The condemnation of God’s Law ministered by the Scribes and Pharisees is true and necessary. However, their goal of condemning is not God’s primary will – but rather repentance, forgiveness, faith, and renewal in love. Thanks and praise be to God, Who is love! Let us learn from Jesus, through His Word, so that we remain in repentance, faith and love; in this we will also remain faithful in ministering His absolution, love, and renewal to others. And, we will grow in actually knowing Jesus, what is in His great heart of love.
Prayer For The Day
Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for Your strength in maintaining what is right, for Your eternal Word of love in Your Law. Thank You also for Your redeeming love, for Your good and gracious will that all should come to salvation and knowledge of the truth, through genuine repentance and faith in Your redemption. Help us to grow in love, that we go and sin no more. Thank You for this great and powerful renewal of our hearts and minds. Help us to serve You in love by serving Your love to those around us. Amen.