in the book of john there is a story about a woman that is caught in the act of adultery. she is brought to CHRIST for judgement. the pharisees and scribes tell him that in the law of moses she should be stoned. CHRIST says to them the one without sin can cast the first stone. one by one they left and CHRIST was left alone with the woman. HE forgave her and instructed her to sin no more.
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, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8Again 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
i like this story because of the acts of grace and forgiveness. i like this story because it is something that today's world can relate to. i like that CHRIST compares all sin as equal. i like that HE questions those that judged this woman about their own sin. the idea that GOD does not forgive is a man made myth; it's man that doesn't forgive. it's man that does not show grace. do you know anyone that can cast the first stone against someone else?
i fear GOD's judgement, because HE has always known the condition of my heart. the saving grace in this is that HE has forgiven me of my past transgressions and has shown me grace. that is peace and what HE has done for my heart. you can put any sin in front of this woman; envy, anger, fear, vanity, greed, worry, anxiety, pride and they are all equal. we are all equal in sin.
what if we can't forgive another and we just choose to ignore it? what if we say the words i forgive you, but in your heart you haven't really? what if we seek forgiveness, but that forgiveness is not given? what if you proclaim to be a christian, but you can't show forgiveness and grace to another? i don't think these arguments will work with GOD; i think that HE will turn it back on you.
we pick and choose what we forgive and whom we forgive. we play favorites. we choose to not look at all sides of a story. we choose not to place ourselves in someone else's shoes. GOD doesn't do that? does HE? i'm not even going to pretend that i have not done this is my life. i have read this story over and over again this year just to remind myself that i cannot cast the first stone. we have too much pride in thinking that we are always correct in any situation.
the bible is a book of human nature. in every page there is a story to learn from. there are such remarkable individuals that changed because of GOD'S GRACE AND FORGIVENESS. HE removes the blindness from our eyes; HE leads us out of the darkness.
“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them." matthew 13;14-15
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