Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus … (Romans 8:1)
Over the twenty years of 721 Ministries and even before, there have been many situations where it seemed obvious that a friend was either in the midst of a bad decision, or on track to become embroiled in one. Perhaps I bumped into them having lunch with a member of the opposite sex two or three times. I may have observed them drinking a tad too much, or gambling, lusting, ignoring their wife and children due to work – you get the picture.
I feel called to reach out to them. I want to speak truth in love, hoping for conviction, but – do not miss this – certainly not condemnation. It probably doesn’t surprise you that Jesus pulled this off perfectly, this perfect balance of conviction but with no condemnation.
In John chapter 8 Jesus is teaching in the Temple grounds, surrounded by a crowd of followers. Suddenly the Pharisees and Jewish elite storm in with a woman caught in adultery. They demand that Jesus pass judgment on her:
“Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. (John 8:4-6)
The trap is this: If Jesus says not to stone her, these angry men will accuse him of defying the Law of Moses, and label him a heretic. This would certainly discredit and humiliate him before all his followers, and it might also get him stoned.
But if he says to stone her, they will rush to the Roman authorities and accuse Jesus of flouting the Roman laws, because the Romans did not allow the Jews to enact capital punishment. He would be arrested and punished severely for insubordination.
They have Jesus in the perfect trap. This poor woman is terrified, and the situation is seething with anger, condemnation, and hatred. The crowd around Jesus has to be wondering what this young rabbi will say.
There is so much to say about what happens next, and you should watch our “721 Live” video on our YouTube channel – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AA3u8kr_0jY – or any of our podcast platforms, to mine out all the details about what Jesus does next. But the bottom line is he kneels down, thus dissipating all the anger and condemnation out of the situation.
After the angry men walk away, defeated by Jesus’ brilliance, this is what happens next:
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
“No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:9-11)
Notice Jesus does not just let the woman go with all grace and no salt. He first speaks grace, with no condemnation into her heart, but then he adds conviction:
“Go now and leave your life of sin.”
I can hear Jesus saying, “My darling child, I do not condemn you, but please stop living this way. I will help you, if you will let me, to leave this life of harmful sin.”
Jesus’ look of love and care and concern for this woman sets her terrified heart at ease. Yes, he loves her just as she is, but too much to leave her just as she is. He loves you just as you are, too, so you can always turn to him, just as you are, knowing he will never condemn you. But please know he loves you too much to leave you as you are.
May you always be open to Jesus’ perfect conviction, resting in the assurance he only wants the best for you, and – do not miss this – he will never condemn you.
