Bible Reading: 1 Chronicles 19, 20, 21; John 8:1- 29
”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.” – John 8:7 (KJV).
Life is full of imperfections and this is not limited to few people. Many errors would have been long drown in the ocean if such had been properly handled. The way and manner with which so many people handle obvious error in the life of victims is not, in most cases, according to the redemptive purpose of God. God no doubt hates sin but he loves sinners and wants them to come to repentance. Peter enables us to see the character of God more explicitly: “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” – 1 Pet. 3:9 (KJV).
The scribes and the Pharisees one day apprehended a woman who was caught in the very act of adultery. Even though she violated the Law of Moses, in handling this type of error spotted amongst the children of Israel, they were highly one-sided. The Law states that, “And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adultress shall surely be put to death” – Lev. 20:10 (KJV). The partiality mentality was pronounced in the attitude of the Pharisees as it was the woman only that was presented to Jesus Christ to judge. “And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, they say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned; but what sayest thou?” – John8:3-5 (KJV).
They basically set a trap for Jesus over what they had willingly perverted. But the response of Jesus scattered the wrong mindset they had. He said, anyone who did not have sin should be the first one to cast the first stone. One after the other, they left. At this Jesus looked at the woman and gave to her the message of restoration. “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? She said, No man, Lord And Jesus said unto her, neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more” – John 8:10-11 (KJV). How do you handle errors in the life of the victims? Do you look for a way to restore them to the right path or condemn them into eternal destruction?
In case you have also been involved in the obvious or unobvious error, Christ is still saying as He said to the woman, He does not condemn you but the error, confess to Him and stop the life of sin. Once this is done, He buries the load of the sin beneath the cross.
Prayer Point: My Father, forgive me all my obvious sins and help me to live a life free from sin all through my life in Jesus name.
Rev. Julius Oluwole