I was watching a Youtube video of a woman who converted from Islam to Christianity. One reason was that she read through the Bible, particularly the parts about Jesus. One thing that struck her forcibly was the passage of Jesus with the woman caught in the act of adultery.
It’s a familiar story. Some religious leaders had caught a woman in the act of adultery, which begs its own set of questions. Who was the man she was with? Was he one of the ones accusing her? Why was he not also brought before Jesus if they were in the very act?
So many questions, but the point wasn’t justice. It was to entrap Jesus. They didn’t care about the woman or the man or even what the Law of Moses said at this point. They wanted to trick Jesus into sinning. They knew the punishment for adultery was stoning. Would Jesus uphold the law and get in trouble with Rome? Or would Jesus give her a pass and condemn Himself before the Law of Moses. They saw it as a lose-lose scenario for Jesus.
But what did Jesus say? Let the one who is without sin cast the first stone. He didn’t argue that adultery wasn’t sinful. He was saying that it was no more sinful than pride or arrogance or hypocrisy.
It occurred to me that the only one qualified to stone the woman was Jesus. He was the only sinless one present. He had every right, according to the Law, to accuse her and condemn her. But the only one with the right to condemn her instead chose to forgive her instead.
That’s my Jesus. He has every right to condemn me every time I sin. He has every right to throw the book at me, legally speaking, and leave me to the punishment for my own sin. But He chose the nails instead. He chose the cross instead. He chose to die so that I might live.
He didn’t save the woman from death to allow her to keep committing adultery. He said that he didn’t condemn her, but He also said to her to go and sin no more. It wasn’t a matter of tolerating her behavior but redeeming her for a better purpose. Her life now served to glorify God instead of gratifying her own desires.
You and I have been redeemed for a purpose. We no longer live for ourselves but we live for the glory and praise of God. The best part is that what brings God the most glory is what brings us the most joy and is for our greatest good. God’s desire is for each of us to be like Jesus and in the process become our truest selves as God designed when He created us as image bearers.
Thank You, God, that though You had every right to cast stones at me, You chose to cast Your grace and mercy my way and to lay down Your own life for mine. You set me free from a life of slavery to my own desires to a life both abundant and eternal. I get to spend forever with You and know Your perfect peace and joy. Amen.
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