While looking for another Scripture this morning I came upon John 8, where Jesus has the woman taken in adultery thrown in front of Him.
I love this passage as we see the love, mercy and compassion of Jesus in all its fullness.
The religious Pharisees were out to get Jesus and in their mind they had Him between a rock and a hard place, they thought they were in a win-win situation; whatever Jesus did they could berate Him for it.
Yet Jesus threw this challenge back at the religious zealots and showered His compassion upon the poor woman.
What I love most about this account is the fact that even though the woman was guilty (it is pretty clear that she was an adulteress and therefore a sinner) Jesus accepted her unconditionally.
He did not say, “are you sorry, will you stop sinning?”
He told her that He accepted her and forgave her (that is what I take from the fact that He did not condemn her) (John 8 v 11).
He then advised her not to sin.
Acceptance and forgiveness came first from Jesus; the suggestion to stop sinning came after this.
Religious performance (or stopping sinning) is not a prerequisite for forgiveness; seeing less sin in our life is actually a fruit of understanding we have been forgiven.
Jesus gives us a picture here that forgiveness is for all mankind, with forgiveness having already been poured out through His shed blood at the cross (Ephesians 1 v 7 and Colossian 1 v 14).
We do not need to perform to receive forgiveness.
Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord that through the shed blood of Jesus I have already been forgiven”.
John 8 v 11…..She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more
Heilan Word Ministries 