GO AND SIN NO MORE

[SIROMYEL]

(John 8:11)

... and Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

The story of the adulteress woman, brought before Jesus by the pharisees remains one of the most talked about biblical stories.

A woman caught in the act of adultery is brought before the Lord so that he can decide her fate.

The doctors of the law knew fair and well what her fate shouldbe or should have been according to the practices of the time. I'm willing to bet that many women have been stoned for the same act in Jesus' life time.

But this one specific woman... was brought before him obviously to trick hi m into making a decision that would displease the people adn give the pharisees ammunity against him.

If he decided against the law of moses and spared the woman, the people would turn against him and the religious leaders would have reason now to condemn him.

But this was Jesus! he came to give life not to take it away!

Jesus took the opportunity not only to save the woman... but to save everyone who was there. .. including her accusers.

The whole event was a foreshadowing of Jesus's ministry. It spoke of the saving powers of the cross.

The one thing that should strike you is that if the woman was caught in the act of adultery... a man must have been caught with her. But yet that man was no where in sight. It is entirely possible that one of the religious leaders was the one caught in the act with her... for she was obviously set up.

But that woman was depicted as the only sinner in the whole crowd.


Jesus took the opportunity to not only save the woman from her physical death but also from her spiritul death... her and everyone who was there.

By writing everyone's sin on the ground Jesus reminds them of their need for a savior... of their need for repentance and that they are no better than this woman.

Yet he does not condone her sin... for he not only sends her on her way... but he says "sin no more."

The story of the adulteress woman is one that takes place almost everyday in our christian lives.... and every day, we behave like the righteous pharisees... so willing to condemn others who have offended us.

We say we are follwers of Christ. Christ came to save. But we are always so quick to condemn.

We refuse to be living testimonies of the saving power of christ.

Every time one of our fellow man offend you and you say... sin no more...you give him/her the opportunity to ask God for forgiveness for that sin.

You also remind yourself that you too are in need of a savior.