from Pleasant Grove Baptist Church https://ift.tt/2P2Simr
via IFTTT Jesus is our redeemer, not our accuser. His whole reason for coming to earth, is to redeem us, not accuse us. Our own sin accuses us enough. This is a fascinating exchange. The Pharisees sought blood and punishment. Their goal was not holiness over sin, but death from sin. They hoped to trap Jesus between law and spirit. They were willing to sacrifice this unnamed woman to accomplish their personal selfish goal. Jesus stood on truth. Sure, the woman was guilty, He never disputed that. She was worthy of death, He did not dispute that. But Jesus brought mercy, not letter of the law judgement. He let her face the consequences of her sin, and then released her with a firm warning... Stop. She well knew further sin would end in death, but she was freed from her past. He knew that soon, her sin would become just one of the billions He would die to erase. What a powerful lesson. Not matter what you have done, no matter how obviously guilty you are, Jesus does not stand here to judge you. He invites you! Do you want to live? Stop sinning! He does not accuse us, He warns us, and if we listen, He dies in our place. He takes our punishment. Does that mean we are free to sin? Of course not! If you truly realize that Jesus died a horrible death, to pay off YOUR sin, you will not sin again. The vision of such a kind, holy blameless man hanging on a cross by nails through his wrists, barely able to breath until death finally relieves the intense pain, that vision should shock us into the gross cost of sin. Could you stand at that cross watching and say "thanks... I can go party again"? No! His eyes wrought with the pain that you deserve yet He volunteered to take would sear into your soul. Jesus died. Horribly. We say that but how often do we stop and consider that reality? How often do we see Him filled with our pain? That is the great love of God. He doesn't accuse, He takes the judgement of us on Himself. Now, remember, Jesus does not excuse sin either! Not accusing does not equal excusing, it equals mercy. Excusing, ignoring sin... That makes Jesus' death pointless. No... We are to judge and expose sin, but love the sinner that Jesus redeemed. He will not excuse us, nor accuse us. He accepted our sin, judgement and punishment. Now, go sin no more!
