Pure Grace

1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say? 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her. 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?

11 No one, sir, she said.

Then neither do I condemn you, Jesus declared. Go now and leave your life of sin.

John 8:1-11

Nothing is more humiliating than being caught in an act of disobedience! Whether it's a child with his hand in the cookie jar or an adult driving over the speed limit, we all know the sinking feeling of being caught. In John 8, a woman is caught in the act of adultery.

The Pharisees and scribes continued to press their point. They were not after this woman as much as they were after Jesus. They were saying this to "test" Jesus (v. 6). They wanted grounds for "accusing" Jesus. He is the one they are really after here.

This self-righteous, self-appointed group of Pharisees was acting as judge and jury and wanted to stone this woman; but don't mistake it, their ultimate goal was the death of Jesus. They were filled with self-righteous hatred toward Jesus. They kept stressing their point. "They persisted in asking Him." (v. 7a) They kept the pressure on Jesus. "Come on, tell us, teacher, what do You say? Will you kill the woman or kill the Law?"

As these religious leaders persisted in questioning him, Jesus stood up and invited any one among them who was sinless to throw the first stone. By this statement they could not possibly say Jesus rejected the law. Jesus specifically told them to throw the first stone. Go ahead, you are right, the Law says stone her. She is guilty. Now, you, who among you is sinless?

Please notice the last statement of Jesus: "Neither do I condemn you..." This is pure grace. The law required punishment and death of the woman caught in the act of adultery, but Jesus forgave her and gave her life. The woman did not make any excuses (v. 11). She was guilty. She knew it. She stood condemned. She didn't have to be convinced of that fact. She needed grace, but she did not deserve it. "The wages of sin is death." "The soul that sins will surely die." She couldn't earn it. She was a spiritual pauper in need of the riches of God's marvelous grace.

Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go your way; from now on sin no more" (v. 11). Let those words soak in. "Neither do I..." "Neither do I condemn you."

How could Jesus offer such a sinner "no condemnation?" He did it the same way He does for us. He knew He was going to the cross to die for her sins. "For while we were still helpless" sinners. That is the way all sinners are - helpless. A helpless sinner doesn't merit forgiveness. A helpless sinner doesn't earn forgiveness. "For while we were still helpless [sinners], at the right time Christ died for the ungodly." Romans 5:6

Moreover, "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (v. 8).

To every guilt-ridden sinner who puts his trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior, the LORD God comes today and whispers in his ear "Neither do I condemn you." There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

But Jesus' statement of grace is immediately followed up by an admonition to "Go and sin no more." Theologians have made terms that describe what Jesus did here, and they are "justification" and "sanctification." Justification is: "Neither do I condemn you." Sanctification is: "Go and sin no more." And it is critical to see the order of Jesus' statements, for He did not say, "Go and sin no more, neither do I condemn you." Or, "Clean up your act and then I will forgive you." Jesus Christ here uses grace as the motive for pure living.

There is a place where adulterers can go to find pardon and forgiveness. It is in Jesus, who "justifies the wicked" (Romans 4:5). It is in Jesus, who was "pierced for our transgressions, and crushed for our iniquities." And it is also in Jesus where we find grace to live differently, for it is the grace of God (not the law of God) that teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness (Titus 2:12). Pure grace; we need it; He has it.

In summary, a snare was set for this woman; she was in a strangle-knot with no way to break free. But Jesus cut the knot, by the knife of pure grace. He can do the same for us!

I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more."
Isaiah 43:25

John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'" 16 From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."
John 1:15-17

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9

Resources: http://www.settingcaptivesfree.com/