“Neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” ~ John 8:11
She had been caught in the act. The Pharisees apprehended her and brought her before Jesus, exclaiming, “Teacher, we caught her red-handed! This woman is guilty of adultery! The Law says that she is to be stoned to death. What do you have to say about this?”
Jesus listened intently to their query and finally shushed the chatter altogether. “Who among you are guiltless of sin?” he asked. “Let any one of you who hasn’t sinned cast the first stone.” Slowly the crowd began to disperse, with the oldest leading the exodus. After the crowd left, the Bible then says that Jesus said to the woman, “I do not condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Jesus didn’t condemn this woman. He forgave her, and in doing so her life was spared! And he then told her to go and leave her sinful past behind.
I’ve often pondered how I would’ve responded had I been in the crowd that day. Would I have taken the side of the Pharisees and conveniently forgotten all about my past misdeeds, pointing to the old Law of Moses with demanding that justice be served? Or would I have walked away, having learned an important lesson about God’s grace and the merciful character of Jesus?
My own story involves a period of years when I was lost in sin and waywardness. I caused a lot of pain and heartache for people who loved and cared very much about me. But the day would come for me as well; a day not all that dissimilar to the day that the adulterous woman had her own encounter with Jesus, when I too would find myself on the receiving end of God’s mercy.
As a sober Christ follower today, I look back only to see how much God’s grace has changed my life. That day when I turned to Him for help was the day I began moving forward in my life, one day at a time, to find a different life that didn’t involve alcohol. Although I try, I will never be perfect. There will never be a day in my life that doesn’t involve some sort of sinful attitude or action. But remembering the life that God rescued me from, and all that He has done for me since, reminds me that I have the opportunity to afford others the same kindness and mercy that was so graciously extended to me!
As Christ followers we have reason to celebrate! We no longer stand condemned!
Former Blackout Artist 