John 8: 7 Let him who is without sin throw the first stone...
John 8: 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”
John 8 This is a story about a woman who was caught in adultery. Back in those days it was the culture or rather law of the day to stone people who committed a crime.Adultery was a sin that women if caught were punished by being stoned to death. Here's my question? What about the men? Surely there would have been a man involved. Why wasn't he punished? That's one of the reasons why it was necessary for The Lord Jesus Christ to come to earth and live among us. The law was not sufficient enough to convict the perpetrators.
God's intent for HIS people was not to be constantly punishing them for wrong doing, but instead to help them understand why they could and should live without the desire to do wrong. God's intent was and has always been to love HIS people, not hurt them or cause them pain. Sin is like electricity in a socket. It's dangerous and could/ will kill you the longer you are exposed to it. Once you know and understand the significance and danger as a human being you will approach with caution or not at all. It's currency for light not humans. Just as we can avoid a socket, so too we can avoid sin. Or rather, we can contain it. It's an avoidable discipline. 1 Corinthians 10 Jesus became human to teach us how to be successful as holy people.
Everything takes practice..
No skill is learnt on the first attempt. Jesus spent three years teaching his followers how to live fulfilling lives as humans. HE didn't come to change the laws, but to fulfill them. Matthew 5 God's people knew HIS word, but they didn't understand it. Jesus brought revelation of the laws. God didn't create robots. HE created humans. The greatest quality about being human is the ability to be in relationship by choice and with a loving intent. We were created in God's image and likeness. Genesis 1 Hence we were created with the capacity to love and forgive. Forgiveness is a major ingredient of love. Since Adam and Eve, God has been forgiving HIS people over and over for the error of their ways. HIM sending Jesus was the epitome of HIS forgiveness.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that HE sent HIS only begotten Son. That whosoever believeth in HIM should not perish but have everlasting life.
In this story, Jesus is saying to God's people. Just as your Heavenly Father has forgiven you for your sins; so too you should forgive others. No one has gotten it correct from the beginning. We are all guilty of having committed some kind of sin at one point or other. Unlike the woman, we might not have been caught. Nevertheless, the moral of the story is not that we can't sin, but that we should lose our appetite for it. Jesus told the woman that HE did not condemn her. But more importantly, that she should go on with her life without being guilty of this sin again. Matthew 5 If it wasn't in her capacity to abstain, HE wouldn't have given her those instructions. So too are HIS instructions towards us. Luke 1 Just as we can gain an appetite for something, we can lose it just as well. Jesus taught us self control by example. For instance: Jesus fasted for 40 days without any food. The human body can go 40 days without food. That's our capacity. Our culture has taught us to go a few hours at a time. Some people eat around the clock. But the way we diet is a discipline and so too is our control of our appetite for sin. Be ye holy as I am holy. That's God's command to us. Let us not just plan to abstain, but let's start practicing. Avoid the things that feed our appetites. Focus on those things that starve them. Philippians 4 For we can do ALL THINGS through Christ who gives us the strength that we'll need to overcome.
You are so much more STRONGER than you know; BELIEVE GOD!
TESTIMONY: I murdered him for Allah but God raised him up to forgive me.... SHOCKING STORY OF REDEMPTION!!
WORSHIP:
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