Follow His Example

"John 7:45-8:11

Love in the midst of condemnation

Is sex outside marriage acceptable? Or is it sinful? If it is, what should our attitude be to those who are guilty of sexual sin?

The debate about sexual ethics continues to fill our newspapers and other media today. The words of Jesus are as relevant today as they were 2,000 years ago.

The words of Jesus were the greatest words ever spoken, the kind of words you would expect God to speak. The temple guards declared, ‘No one ever spoke the way this man does’ (7:46). (It is so sad that some religious leaders failed to recognise him and regarded those who did believe in him as ‘this mob’, (v.49).)

Although the account of the woman caught in adultery is not included in the earliest and most reliable manuscripts of John’s Gospel, it may well be an authentic incident in the life of Jesus. Certainly, it fits with everything that we know about Jesus: his wisdom and grace, his mercy and compassion.

This woman must have felt absolutely desperate. Despair can come from defeat. It can also come from moral failure. She must have been experiencing both. She had been caught in the act of adultery and was about to be stoned to death.

The condemners tried to trap Jesus with a question. Jesus gives one of the most brilliant, memorable and often quoted replies in the history of the world: ‘Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her’ (8:7).  

Jesus did not condone her adultery, nor did he regard it as the unforgivable sin. He demonstrated how easy it is to condemn others while being guilty of the same sins in our own hearts (vv.7–9). This can be applied to many areas of our lives. Before we criticise others it is worth asking ourselves whether we are ‘without sin’ in that area that we are about to criticise in another.

As is often said, ‘People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.’ In the context of the debate about sexual ethics, as we look at our own hearts there is often a lot of glass around.

In the account of the woman caught in adultery, each of the condemners is convicted by Jesus’ words until eventually ‘only Jesus was left’ (vv.7–9). Jesus asks her, ‘Has no one condemned you?’ (v.10). When she replies, ‘No one, sir’, he says, ‘Then neither do I condemn you … Go now and leave your life of sin’ (v.11).

Guilt is a horrible emotion. Condemnation is a terrible state to be in. How amazing it must have been to hear the words of Jesus: ‘Then neither do I condemn you’ (v.11). Since he was without sin, Jesus was the one person there in a position to ‘throw stones’, but he did not.

There is an extraordinary balance and almost unique combination in the words of Jesus. Jesus could not be clearer that adultery is sin. Yet he does not condemn her in any way. This is the message of the New Testament. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). As a result of Jesus’ death for us on the cross, we are totally forgiven, however far we may have fallen.

Yet, this is not a reason to go on sinning. Jesus does not condone her sin. He says to her, ‘Leave your life of sin’ (John 8:11). When we recognise our own sin and despair of it, Jesus does not condemn us. But he does say to us, as he said to her, ‘Leave your life of sin’.

Jesus’ words, as always, are motivated by love and compassion. We are called to follow his example.

It is easy to fall into one of two opposite extremes. Either we condemn people or we condone sin. Love does not condemn nor does it condone sin, because sin leads to people getting hurt. If we love, like Jesus, we will neither condone sin nor condemn people.

Lord, thank you that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Thank you that you died to make it possible for me to be cleansed, forgiven and to go free. Help me to love people as you did. Fill me today with love and compassion."

1. Thank You for being the perfect example. May I always be reminded of Your message.

2. It was such a blessing to meet a family who lives in a boat to sell goods. Thank You for the opportunity.

3. Thank You, Lord, for a safe drive back to the city. Thank You for a wonderful time.