Go and Sin…Really No More?

Grace. We all need. We all should long for it. We all can receive it.

But do we overstep it sometimes?

I was reading an article the other night on some Christians beliefs and thoughts and it startled me how much sin is overlooked.

It’s like the 90s song by Sheryl Crow, “If it makes you happy, it can’t be that bad.”

But that line even how catchy it is, is a lie.

I’ve often been told the Devil is the great masquerader. He can flip things that are shady into status quo. He can turn something demoralizing into acceptable. He can change an opinion as quickly as someone’s Twitter feed.

But just because the world says it’s okay, doesn’t make it right.

The church sadly has become a breeding ground for self-help philosophies of warm and fuzzy feelings. Don’t get me wrong, I love an encouraging message because God is an encouraging, merciful God.

But He is also Holy and just that despises our muddled down faith as if it’s a motto like, “don’t worry, be happy…No matter what you do.”

I love the stories in the Bible when we see tangible proof of Christ’s love for the sinners. Because I’m a sinner. I need that reminder that Christ loves me even though I messed up.

A story that gives me chills is the attempted stoning of the adulterous woman.

Have you been there? Maybe not caught in your lovers bed, but caught by your conscience at work, at the red light, at the checkout line, at your computer.

We all fall short. We can never reach the bar of good enough on our own merit. We will never be seen as someone without the need of grace.

As the story continues with men clutching their stones, ready to kill a woman…where’s the man – who knows?…they are ready to enact vengeance on this vile woman.

Christ stoops down and meddles in the dirt. What is he writing? What is he doing? What are the other men seeing?

Well, one by one they each drop their stones.

I can’t picture Christ standing up, shadowing the trembling woman. I see him down on the ground at her level, helping her up. Brushing her off. Showing his love in front of the world who said she was as fault.

But Christ didn’t overlook the act. He didn’t ignore what she had done. He didn’t condone the sin with a warm hug.

“Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”]]”
‭‭John‬ ‭8‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/59/jhn.8.10-11.ESV

He didn’t say, “Go….”

He said, “Go, and from now on sin no more.”

So often we try to whitewash the sin of others and pretend it isn’t there like a white elephant in the corner.

But it’s there.

If we stand idly by without demonstrating Godly love and action, we are no better than a nonbeliever encouraging their friend. And we will be held accountable for not being Jesus to them.

Jesus is revered for his compassion and love, but he is also known for his integrity for turning over tables in the temple when they were making a mockery and profiting on God’s commands.

But people don’t like to quote that Jesus as much as “love one another.”

So where are you going to fall on the spectrum?

Will you be a sheep or a goat?

““When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭25‬:‭31‬-‭46‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.25.31-46.ESV

Ministering is not just volunteering at soup kitchens and hospitals. It is showing the love of Christ in our everyday settings. It’s showing the holiness and righteousness of Christ to a world that needs it.

I pray that I’m seen as a sheep…a sinner sheep…a grace needing sheep…a believing sheep.

I hope.

Peace