Praise God for His understanding Love!
“‘No one, Lord,’ she answered. ‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Now go and sin no more.’” Jn 8:11 BSB
Let’s try to put ourselves in her shoes. This woman was facing death when the Pharisees seized her, and dragged her off to Jesus. The penalty for adultery was being stoned to death by the community. Imagine the horror she must have been experiencing. These religious cared nothing about the situation that may have gotten her to this point. They were so ready to condemn her… but of course, they were only trying to condemn Jesus. Because Jesus would not bow down to their traditions and religiosity, they wanted to be rid of Him. Jesus was upsetting their little world and infringing on their influence over the people. And worse, He just might cause the Romans to take away their privileges. And so condemning Jesus was their only choice…that’s how they saw it anyway.
Condemnation says that the person being condemned is no good. That there is something wrong inside of them that cannot be fixed, so they should just be discarded, dismissed and doomed. But God teaches that no one is so far gone that He cannot redeem them. There is nothing you and I have ever, or will ever do, that God cannot forgive…if we are willing to seek His forgiveness. These Pharisees did not think they needed forgiveness, so they were not willing to seek God. But I do believe this woman was more than willing…are we?
Join me in memorizing 52 verses this year:
January: 1- Jn 3:16; 2- 2Co 5:17; 3- Jas 2:26; 4- Eph 2:10
February: 5- Jn 10:10; 6- Ro 6:23; 7- Rev 21:4; 8- Php 4:13
March: 9- 1Pe 5:7; 10- Jn 8:32; 11- Dt 30:19; 12- Jn 3:30; 13- 2Chron 20:3
April: 14- 2Chron 20:12; 15- 2Chron 20:15b; 16- 2Chron 20:17
May: 17- Ro 8:28; 18- 1Co 13:13; 19- Php 2:12; 20- Mt 5:4
June: 21- Lk 23:42; 22- Jas 4:7; 23- Pr 22:6; 24- Mt 5:3; 25- Jn 14:6
26- Jas 2:19
27- Dt 31:8
28- Jn 14:15
29- Jn 8:11
<>< Peace, Diane
