John 8:7-11: a reflection

7But when they continued asking him, he looked up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw the first stone at her.” 8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground with his finger. 9They, when they heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning from the oldest, even to the last. Jesus was left alone with the woman where she was, in the middle. 10Jesus, standing up, saw her and said, “Woman, where are your accusers? Did no one condemn you?” 11She said, “No one, Lord.” Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way. From now on, sin no more.”

When a woman caught in sin is brought before Jesus to be condemned, he neither joins her accusers nor excuses her sin. To the accusers, ready to stone her, he says, He who is without sin among you, let him throw the first stone; and one by one they leave. Then to the woman he says two things held together: Neither do I condemn you, and, Go, and from now on sin no more. He does not condemn her, and he does not excuse her sin; he gives grace that frees her from condemnation, and calls her to leave her sin behind.

Notice how Jesus held together grace and truth: neither condemning nor excusing. He did not condemn the woman, as her accusers would have; he freed her from condemnation, showing her grace. But he did not, in showing grace, excuse or make light of her sin; he told her to go and sin no more, calling her to leave her sin behind. His grace neither condemned her nor left her in her sin; it freed her from condemnation and called her to a changed life. Grace and the call to holiness were held together, not one at the expense of the other.

That is worth taking to heart, for we can imagine grace must either condemn or excuse, but Christ's grace does neither. We can think God's response to our sin must be either condemnation or a making light of it; but Christ's grace neither condemns us nor excuses our sin. He frees us from condemnation, and calls us to leave our sin behind; both are held together in his grace. Do not imagine that Christ either condemns you for your sin or makes light of it; his grace neither condemns you nor leaves you in your sin, but frees you from condemnation and calls you to a changed life. Receive the grace of Christ that says, neither do I condemn you, and go and sin no more; do not fear condemnation, nor presume on grace as license, but receive the grace that frees you from condemnation and calls you to leave your sin behind, as Christ neither condemned the woman nor excused her sin, but freed her and called her to sin no more.

Lord Jesus, when a woman caught in sin is brought before you to be condemned, you neither join her accusers nor excuse her sin. To the accusers, ready to stone her, you say, he who is without sin among you, let him throw the first stone; and one by one they leave. Then to the woman you say two things held together: neither do I condemn you, and, go, and from now on sin no more. You do not condemn her, and you do not excuse her sin; you give grace that frees her from condemnation, and call her to leave her sin behind. Show me how you held together grace and truth: neither condemning nor excusing. You did not condemn the woman, as her accusers would have; you freed her from condemnation. But you did not excuse or make light of her sin; you told her to go and sin no more. Your grace neither condemned her nor left her in her sin. Grace and the call to holiness were held together. Take that to my heart, for I can imagine grace must either condemn or excuse, but your grace does neither. I can think God's response to my sin must be either condemnation or a making light of it; but your grace neither condemns me nor excuses my sin. You free me from condemnation, and call me to leave my sin behind. Keep me from imagining that you either condemn me for my sin or make light of it; help me receive the grace that says, neither do I condemn you, and go and sin no more, Lord. Keep me from fearing condemnation, and from presuming on grace as license.