The Gift of No Condemnation

“Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them.  The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery.

Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?"  This they said to test him that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 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 8:2-11 ESV)

This is a great story, but how was this woman restored? How was she given back her dignity? Well, certainly not by the condemnation of the law, but by the personification of Grace – Jesus Christ. This woman caught in adultery, groveling in the dust, naked and bleeding, resentful because her co-adulterer had gotten away without punishment (perhaps he was a Pharisee!) She knelt before Jesus, daring to look up as she was aware her accusers were disappearing one by one, the oldest first. Jesus didn’t move. He just looked back at her with deep acceptance and fatherly affection.

Why don’t you and I give our attention to Jesus until all the voices of accusation and condemnation walk away? When we allow Jesus to love us, when we receive His love even the darkest, oldest accusations, the deepest voices of shame leave us until only Jesus is standing there?

Jesus gave this woman a gift, a gift that enabled her to leave her life of sin. He literally told her you can now stop missing the mark and start winning the prize! This same gift is available for you and me if we want it – do you know what it is yet?

Jesus gave her the gift of no condemnation. He offers that same gift to us today.