Derek Smith
Lead Pastor
John 8:10-11
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.”
The story of the adulterous woman in John 8 is one of Christ’s most well known encounters in the gospels. Scripture says the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman to Jesus whom they had caught in the very act of adultery and they threw her down at his feet demanding that she be stoned for her immorality. How do you catch someone in the very act of adultery? The Bible says they did this to test Jesus, so it sure seems like this was some kind of setup, and like a worm on the end of a fish hook this poor woman is the bait. How does someone treat another human being this way?! I understand she may have committed sin here, but why throw her in the dirt and put her sin and shame on display in front of the entire crowd?! True to His gracious nature, Jesus comes to her aid and leaves her with a word of transformation at the same time. Only Jesus can turn such a horrible situation into a story of grace for the ages!
This account reminds me of the devil. In the Word of God we learn that Satan is a liar, a murderer, and a thief. He also is referred to as the accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12:10). When we sin, Satan rolls in like a pompous Pharisee and throws us in the dirt of shame and guilt. His purpose is condemnation and his desire is to paralyze us with doubt and despondency. He cries, “How can you do that and call yourself a Christian?”, and continues with, “You ought to be stoned for such actions.” But in swoops the Holy Spirit to remind us of what Christ has done! In salvation Christ has justified us, and the certificate of debt that was stacked against us He canceled out by nailing it to the cross (Col 2:14). There is only one King and Judge over all creation, and he has declared us not guilty, case dismissed! Now, Jesus lovingly invites us to go and sin no more. So, next time the devil throws you in the dirt and starts to condemn you, remind him of your new identity in Christ! You are forgiven, justified, reconciled, and redeemed, no longer defined by sin but by the mercy of God! Who is your accuser? There are none in Christ, so go and sin no more. Case dismissed!