JESUS NEITHER ACCEPTED SIN NOR CONDEMNED SINNERS. ANOTHER WAY TO SAY IT IS THE WAY WE’VE ALWAYS SAID IT, “HATE THE SIN, BUT LOVE THE SINNER.”
JESUS DID NOT COME TO CONDEMN PEOPLE, BUT TO TELL THEM THE GOOD NEWS THAT GOD IS FULL OF MERCY AND GRACE, EVEN WHEN WE SIN AND FALL SHORT.
AS FOLLOWERS OFJESUS, WE WANT TO DO THE SAME: TO SIN NO MORE, BUT NOT TO CONDEMN SINNERS, EITHER. IF WE ARE TO DO THIS THEN WE NEED GOD’S WISDOM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT SIN REALLY IS AND AN INDWELLING OF HIS COMPASSION TO AVOID CONDEMNING THOSE WHO SIN.
JESUS SAID “GO AND SIN NO MORE.” SIMPLY PUT: MERCY FROM GOD CALLS FOR A LIFE UNTO GOD.”THE WOMAN’S ACCUSORS ALL WALKED AWAY, BUT JESUS STAYED WITH HER. JESUS DID NOT CONDEM, BUT OFFERED HER THE OPPORTUNITY TO START OVER.
THE INTERESTING THING TO ME THAT I SEE WITH THIS IS THE FACT THAT JESUS DIDN’T JUST FREE HER FROM THE PHARISEES; HE WAS FREEING HER FROM HER SINS.
THAT IS WHAT IS SO SPECIAL! JESUS WAS NOT SIMPLY LETTING HER OFF THE HOOK AND FREEING HER TO GO HER OWN WAY. JESUS DID NOT IGNORE HER BEHAVIOR NOR WAS HE OVERLOOKING THE LIFE SHE HAD BEEN LIVING. JESUS MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT SHE WAS TO LEAVE HER FORMER LIFE OF SIN.
GOD HATES SIN; WE MUST NOT MISS THAT FACT. BUT, ONE THING HE DOES LOVE IS SINNERS – AND THAT INCLUDES ALL OF US! IN FACT, HE LOVES US SO MUCH, HE SENT HIS SON TO DIE TO TAKE THE PENALTY OUR SINS DESERVED.
JESUS STANDS READY TO FORGIVE ANY PERSON FOR ANYTHING, BUT CONFESSION, REPENTANCE, AND A CHANGE OF HEART ON OUR PART ARE THE PROPERLY CULTIVATED GROUND FOR THAT FORGIVENESS.
OUR GOAL MUST BE TO NOT SIN AGAIN! THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT GOD EXPECTS US TO NEVER SIN AGAIN, BUT HE DOES EXPECT THAT OUR LIFE-STYLES WILL BE AS SINLESS AS POSSIBLE.
THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST LESSONS WE LEARN IN THE LENTEN SEASON WHICH IS THE LESSON OF REPENTANCE. REPENTANCE MEANS TURNING AWAY FROM SIN AND TURNING TOWARDS GOD. IT IS AN ONGOING PROCESS OF FIGHTING THE URGES AND LURES OF OUR HUMANITY THAT SO DESPERATELY WANTS FULFILMENT.
THIS IS WHY WE CONFESS THAT TURNING AWAY FROM OUR SINS CAN BE ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT TASKS WE HAVE EVER HAD TO FACE BECAUSE TEMPTATION WILL NEVER CEASE AND THERE IS NO END IN SIGHT.
DON’T EVER THINK IT WILL BE EASY! SINNING IS SO ENTICING, SO TEMPTING, SO EXCITING, SO FUN. BUT SINNING IS ALSO VERY DEADLY. ROMANS 6:23 SAYS THAT THE PAYMENT FOR SIN IS DEATH.
WHEN WE FAIL TO TURN AWAY FROM OUR SINS, THE ONLY SURE THING WE HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO IS DEATH. BUT, ON THE FLIP SIDE, TURNING TOWARD GOD AND SINCERELY CONFESSING OUR SINS TO GOD, ALLOWS US TO LOOK FORWARD TO A MUCH DIFFERENT FUTURE FILLED WITH LIFE.
FORGIVENESS, GRACE, HOPE AND EVERLASTING LIFE AWAIT THOSE WHO EARNESTLY TURN TO GOD. MAY OUR LIVES REFLECT THE COMMAND OF CHRIST TO “GO AND SIN NO MORE!” GO, THEREFORE, AND DISCOVER THE BEAUTY WITHIN THE DARKNESS OF LENT THAT BY JESUS CHRIST DYING ON THE CROSS FOR US, HE HAS MADE OUR ABILITY OF CONQUERING SIN REAL AND OBTAINABLE. LET US GO, WITH THE LORD’S HELP, AND SIN NO MORE!
