Humilty is the one-sized coat that does fit all
“Go and sin no more.” — John 8:11c
James says if you break one commandment, you’ve broken them all (James 2:10). This places all of us on the same moral level. When we who love Jesus own this, we eliminate the self-righteousness in our hearts repetitively. Humility is the coat we wear (or should wear) each day, and its fit is perfect.
Here’s the truth. We are all made of clay. We all have the propensity to sin. In John 8:1-11, the leaders of the religious law and the Pharisees try to trap Jesus but trap themselves with the lesson of the day: we are all guilty.
Jesus doesn’t overturn the Law; He does something far better. He re-establishes righteousness on the basis of grace. He says to the woman, and, in turn, all of us who catch ourselves in our own sin, “Do not sin like this again.”
Grace rescues her. Now she now has a new identity as a beautifully loved child of God.
Grace can rescue us, too.
Whether it’s adultery, slander, abusive words, jealousy, gossip or lying, sin remains what sin has always been—heinous. And God doesn’t ignore sin because sin harms the people He created.
There’s more. A person who brings correction to those who have sinned without a hint of self-righteousness knows they are equally fallen and capable of much worse (Galatians 6:1-5).
Jesus is identified as the teacher in this passage. The woman teaches us, too. With Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are like the woman in that we are free from condemnation. Jesus’ death, resurrection, and eternal place in heaven make those who follow Him free from not only from condemnation but also indictment because we are in Christ, and Christ is unindictable.
Prayer: Lord, keep me humble. Remind me that no one—not even me—can judge the human heart, but I can love fellow sinners with the heart You gave me. Amen.
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