One of the shortest and yet most powerful stories in the Bible is in John Chapter 8. Jesus saves the life of a woman caught in adultery.
John 8
“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, ‘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?’” John 8:3-5.
This woman was set up by the religious leaders so they could have an excuse to question and trap Jesus. Since their real motive is to catch Jesus in his words, this was not actually about upholding the law.
“They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.” John 8:6.
The Grace
She may have been half-naked standing in this group, and it is quite unfair that they didn’t drag the man she was with to stone as well.
As they are ready to stone her to death for breaking the law, Jesus doesn’t say anything but writes on the ground. What he writes we don’t know. But finally, he says “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” A powerful statement. Eventually, everyone walks away, the older ones first. Then Jesus says to her, “Has no one condemned you?” She says, “No one, sir.” Then he says, “Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.”
The entirety of the gospel message is right here in this short story from John 8. Jesus didn’t condemn her, and He doesn’t condemn us.
The Gospel
First, He saves the woman from death.
Then, He says that He doesn’t condemn her. (John 17:3)
And what he says at the end is important. “Go and sin no more.” He doesn’t proceed to lecture her on her sinful behavior. He also doesn’t throw a blind eye to sin and go on to say, “Go ahead and continue to prostitute yourself.” He also didn’t say, “if you stop prostituting, then I’ll save you from being stoned.” The saving came first. Jesus’s love toward her was not conditional. He saved her life without knowing whether or not she would continue in her immoral practices. His message is simple, I’ve saved you, I don’t condemn you, now go and sin no more.
We are the same as the prostitute, and we are saved in the same exact way. We are all guilty of sin. There are those of us who can admit it and have a chance to be saved. The prostitute has more chance of being saved than the hardened hearts of the religious leaders that forgot that God desires mercy, not sacrifice (Hosea 6:6).