Gospel

THE REAL JESUS, Part 6

by John Clark 
07/05/22
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Jesus Interacting With A Woman Caught In Adultery


     Once Jesus encountered a woman caught in adultery, as recorded in John 8:1-11. How he responded to her is very informative and relevant to the culture of our time. In the time of Jesus, adultery was punishable by stoning, but Jesus said to the crowd standing around the woman, “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.”  What he was saying is that no person is without sin. The crowd of people all dropped their stones and left the scene. 

     This begs the question: What is sin? It is a condition of the human heart revealed in rebellion and disobedience to God and his ways. It is spiritual separation from God resulting in individuals doing their own thing in total disregard for God, their Creator. The Bible says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. One’s thoughts, attitudes, motives, and actions can all fall short of God’s standard of righteousness and holiness. Sin can be expressed not only in actions, attitudes, and words, but there are also “hidden sins” like wrong motives and thoughts, that other people do not see, but God knows them. There are not greater and lesser sins! It is all sin for which THE REAL JESUS died. The best person in the entire world still falls short of God’s righteous standards. In the account of this woman’s adultery, the people were focusing on the overt sin of another but not recognizing the inward sins in their own lives.

     The same can be said today. Too many people, many Christians included, single out particular things or lifestyles as sinful to the total neglect of sin in their own life. The people judging sin are just as much sinners as those they are judging!

     What did Jesus say to this woman caught in adultery? He asked a rhetorical question, “Has anyone condemned you?”  The answer was obvious.  Jesus further added, “Neither do I condemn you, but from now on sin no more.” He is offering the woman total grace and forgiveness, but telling her she needs to change her ways.

     The same can be said for all people. How about you? God has made possible through the death of his Son, THE REAL JESUS, grace and forgiveness for every wrong thing you have ever thought, done, or spoken. I John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” However, he wants you to accept responsibility for your life and realize that there is a much better way to live.