Enjoy Life, Enjoy God

CONDEMNATION

May 11, 2010

Religion often seems to be linked with condemnation. Maybe that's our fault, in other words, we do a lot of condemning.

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Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
- John 8:11 TNIV
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"Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." (8:8) This is the well known line from Jesus' encounter with the woman caught in adultery. The people of God were loaded for bear, to stone the cheater to death, and they had cause. Jesus turns the tables on their condemnation with his famous retort. But we miss the gospel in the story, the good news. As the lynch mob departs, Jesus asks the woman, "Who condemns you now?" She says, "They've gone." To which Jesus says, "Neither do I condemn you."

Condemnation is all around us, not just religiously-based, but we live in a guilt-based, blaming society, usually quick to condemn. Jesus says, "Neither do I condemn you." "Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...." (Romans 8:1) Now, friends, let us go and sin no more.
Joyfully,

Dale Patterson