Walking Away From Sin
Author: Chad McComas (Oregon, US)
The woman the Pharisees dragged before Jesus was caught in adultery. The religious authorities wanted to stone her in accordance with the law. They thought they could trap Jesus by asking what he thought was the appropriate punishment. Instead of answering, he confronted their hypocrisy: ‘Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’ When no one came forward, Jesus shocked them by giving the woman-and all of us-the answer needed to break free from sin: ‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin’ (John 8:11).
I can relate to the woman in John 8:1-11. I remember the hopeless feeling of being trapped in an ongoing sin in my life. My sinful behaviour had a stranglehold on me, and I couldn’t see a way out. When I realised that Jesus wanted to save me from my sin, I found the freedom I had longed for.
Jesus was not sent into this world to condemn us. Condemnation has no power to change our lives. Only when we believe and accept the forgiving grace of God and the fresh start he gives us each day can we leave our lives of sin. When we embrace the truth of God’s love, our lives will never be the same.
Prayer: Thank you, God, for not condemning but forgiving us. Thank you for setting us free to live without sin. Amen
