“Woman, where are your accusers? Has no man condemned you?” John 8:10
Dear Ones:
In the Apostle John’s first epistle, he writes: “For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.” (1 Jn. 3:20) Condemnation is a terrible thing, for the effect of it is the removal of all hope. It is a sentence placed upon an individual because of his or her guilt. When the woman caught in adultery was brought to Jesus by the Pharisees, she was standing before Jesus, condemned. Her accusers had already passed sentence upon her, and were calling for her death by stoning. What did she feel? Most certainly she felt the conviction and pain of her sin, hope lost, and also, the burning ruthlessness of her accusers. When Jesus is confronted by these “accusers,” He stoops down, and writes on the ground. When He stands, He gives them a word which will convict them of their own sinfulness, to the point that they leave one by one. Again, our attention is directed to the woman still standing there. Jesus raises Himself up, and addresses the issue of her guilt, which is very real, as well as the accompanying condemnation. His answer to her: “Woman, where are your accusers? Hath no man condemned you? Neither do I condemn you: go, and sin no more.” (v.10) What happens in that moment? The weight of the guilt of her sin falls from her heart, mind, and conscience, for Someone with the power to forgive and cleanse from sin, has spoken, and it was done. The basis for condemnation has been removed, for all sin is forgiven, and washed away.
John, in his epistle, is writing to believers concerning the matter of condemnation. He is saying that they can become the prey of condemnation, if they allow it. Our enemy, Satan, is an “accuser of the brethren,” and he stills condemns, especially if there is a consciousness of sin and guilt. It is at this point that the apostle directs the believer’s attention to Christ, because “God is greater than our hearts.” This is one reason for which also the apostle Paul writes concerning this issue of condemnation: “There is therefore NOW, NO condemnation for those who are IN Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1) We may be convicted of sin, but for the believer, there is NO condemnation from God. If there is unconfessed sin, Satan will still accuse and condemn, but the condemnation is not from God. Its effect will only be as great as we choose to submit to it.
In Zechariah 3, we find the high priest Joshua standing before “the angel of the Lord,” dressed in dirty garments, with Satan there to accuse him. When God orders that the dirty clothes be removed, it was a gesture declaring that Joshua’s sins, and consequent guilt, were removed. He was now FREE from the condemnation of the enemy to rise up, believe and serve Christ.
What a wonderful day, and moment, when the Lord says to us: “I will, be clean,” “…be comforted, your faith has made you whole,” “…neither do I condemn you.” Let us avail ourselves today of this blessed willingness of the Lord to forgive and cleanse us from all sin, removing the guilt and any condemnation for sin, enabling us to go joyfully, freely onward to love and serve Him.
Dear Father, give us grace to see and know that the Lord Jesus deals with our sin completely, setting us free from the accusations and condemnation of the enemy, to trust Thee to fill us with Thy life. Fill us indeed with Thy blessed, overflowing and victorious life, that the world will SEE and KNOW that Thou art good, faithful to forgive and to save. We thank and praise Thee in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad