Scriptural Readings: John 8:3-11,15
As Christians our spiritual status is of utmost importance. In our Christian life our faith should not be hanging on a thin line. It should be anchored on a strong foundation. Our faith plays one of the biggest part in our spiritual life. Once we compromise it we let and give the enemy a foothold on us.
John 8:3-5
v.3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
v.4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
v.5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
Are we going to pick a stone like others did? Are we going for the headshot? or are we going to ask ourselves in faith?
v.6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him.
When God breathed His spirit in us the soul was produced and so with it are our emotions and intelligence. Our decisions and actions are mostly based on what we feel and think. Temptation treats our emotions very well and upon basing our intelligence in it we make our conclusions, accusations, judgement and many more.
Our conscience is one of the many things produced in our soul. It tells us what is right or wrong but on the other hand our faith should tell us if our endeavours would make and justify Jesus truly as our Lord affirming the finished work on the cross and lift Him up. The Holy Spirit on the other hand will do the confirming.
But Jesus stooped down, and with [his] finger wrote on the ground, [as though he heard them not].
Morality can be confusing. A person can be morally upright. A person maybe spending a whole lifetime of doing moral deeds for salvation but we are saved by grace not by works. This is a case where our conscience tell us to be morally upright but faith tell us that we are in need of a savior the Son of God Jesus Christ and His finished work at the calvary as the ultimate sacrifice.
Jesus could have answered them with a flash but why He didn’t and instead stooped down and started writing with His fingers? What was the reason why He delayed His response? The people and the Pharisees had the (morally)right reason why they should stone to death the woman caught in the very act of adultery. A sin that everyone knew in the community. The Son of God knew that their endeavour was inutile and He has given them time to think about it but hatred was burning and consuming their hearts. Jesus knew that they do not believe(did not have the faith too)in Him so He gave them space to think of their foolishness, sat down write using His fingers on the ground.
v.7 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.
This attitude today is still strongly at work. If we cannot get what we want at once we look for others to join us. The more the merrier. The more the better. Right? The word “asking” used in this verse in Greek is “erotao” meaning to interrogate. Jesus was continually interrogated so that we can turn Him into a criminal. Now, here is the twist. The tables were turned. Time for humanity to know how cruel we are when it was His time for Him to respond. God knew everything in us. For the word of God is quick and powerful….(Hebrews 4:12). The evil things in their hearts were exposed.
v.8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
v.9 And they which heard [it], being convicted by [their own] conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, [even] unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
This is the necessary scenario. Jesus went down again and continue to write on the ground. This is the time that we should accept that we are wrong and without God’s approval at the end we see ourselves on the opposite side where God does not want us to be. We could have never reached in that place ready to condemn someone if we could have only asked ourselves by faith. Jesus Christ has become the answer to our enmity to other humans and God Himself. He is the one to reconcile us to the Father and not to divide us( Matthew 12:25).
v.10 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?
v.11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
There was too much hatred for that woman and it did not stop there. They turned their hatred to Jesus. When we come finally to our(spiritual)senses, we will only arrive on one thing and that is turning to Jesus. He came to this world teaching us not to hate but to love not to kill but bring the dead back to life, forgive and not to judge.
v.15 Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.
Where are we now? Are we having stones in our hands and ready to go for the head and give our best shot? Are we in a place and become the judge and executioner as well. We should always ask ourselves through our faith in God. For we walk by faith not by sight(2nd Corinthians 5:7). Jesus is not writing anything on the ground anymore but writing down names in the Lambs book of life. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me(Revelations 3:20).