Caught, Condemned and Forgiven
It’s no secret that I have a lead-foot. I admit, it’s an area the Lord has been patient with. Although, He hasn’t let me get away with it, either. You may know the feeling when the police car comes speeding up to your bumper to pull you over. Your stomach drops as you prepare for the worst. If an officer has ever forgiven you and let you go with a warning, you know the feeling of relief, too!
In this Scripture, we read about a woman caught in the act of adultery. The leaders who were accusing her would have surely killed her for her crime. But, as Jesus called them out for their own sins, they walked away one by one. These people had deep, dark secrets, but they had likely justified their innocence in their own minds till then. So, as Jesus convicted them, stone after stone dropped to the ground as the accusers turned away from the woman.
There’s nothing we can do in our own righteousness that pleases God. The most wonderful things people do on their own accord, without the drive of the Holy Spirit, is like filthy rags to the Lord. No good deed can clean up the filth of sin. Only the blood of Jesus can cleanse and justify us.
After everyone had walked away from the woman, Jesus not only refused to condemn her, but He told her to go and sin no more. If you say you’re a Christian and you’re still battling the same old sin patterns you’ve always battled, think about what that says about Jesus to those around you. If the Holy Spirit is within you, you will have the desire to glorify God. Quenching that desire darkens your witness, and destroys your soul.
Jesus died on the cross so we could be better. He will break the chains of sin which hold us down. There will always be struggles. As soon as we think we have one sin uprooted, another sprouts up, and sometimes we don’t even know where it came from! But without Jesus tending to the garden in our hearts, the weeds of sin would take over. Praise Him that we can fight the invasive nature of sin!
God has caught us in the act of every thing we’ve ever done against Him. If you think you’ve gotten away with something, you haven’t. God knows. But if Jesus is the Lord of your life, rest assured, He will meet you in the very sin which He died for. He will scoop you up and take you out of the pit. He doesn’t want to leave you there! Confess, repent, and be forgiven. Then, go and sin no more!
We love y’all and we’re praying for you. Come see us…we’re saving you a seat at Community Family Church!
Pastor Tom
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