Go, and Sin No More
"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
The Savior, in white, represented all the the woman in red could be, if she but sought forgiveness and turned to Him who had the power to forgive all.
2. And early in the morning [Christ] came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
3. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
4. They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
5. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
6. This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
7. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
8. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
9. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
10. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
11. She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
Perhaps my favorite part of this scripture is the well-known quote by Christ himself when he says, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." Every time I read that verse, I laughed to myself. After all, no one's perfect, so it was the ideal logical response given to a group of men trying to ensnare the Savior of mankind. They meant to entrap Him, leaving Him one of two options: negate the law of Moses, upon which hanged the entirety of Jewish culture, or order the execution of a woman. Small chuckles at their foolishness. And then I'd read on.
But then, one day, I realized something.
That day, there WAS someone who could have thrown a stone. He sat drawing with his finger in the dirt. A millennia and a half before, in his capacity as Jehovah, the God of Israel, He had given the commandment that those caught in adultery be stoned, both the man lying with the woman, and the woman also, that Israel might be cleansed. However, the coming of Christ marked the fulfillment of the law of Moses, the ushering in of a higher law. Christ, knowing the hearts of all men, chose to show mercy, rather than affect judgement upon the head of a woman that by all means was worthy, according to the law, of both physical and spiritual death. Christ showed mercy, and in his parting recorded statement to the woman, made it clear that, just as no man had condemned her, neither did He. "Go, and sin no more."
When we, as imperfect human beings, fallible and failing, feel as though we have wandered too far from the Savior to ever return, take heart. Christ loves all, and the power is in Him to both forgive and find us. I know, because I've experienced for myself the forgiveness that Christ offers. I know personally of the love He has for me. If you're at a point in your life now where you're unable to see how He could ever accept you back, and you feel hopeless, seek Him. I know He is just waiting on you to come to Him. Experience the peace that comes as He forgives and tells you, just as He told the woman, "Go, and sin no more."
Have questions about Christ, forgiveness, or overcoming trials that seem unsurmountable right now? Click here to get help.
Comments
Post a Comment