Have you ever made a mistake? I have, plenty of them, to be precise. One of the challenges that accompany our mistakes is moving beyond them. People can make it hard to leave our mistakes in the past. Some people, commonly known as gossipers, love to let everyone know what you’ve done. Worse, some people find “convenient” times to dig up your skeletons, even after you’ve received forgiveness.
The text cited above highlights the ferocity of people and the gentleness of CHRIST. Some church people – scribes and Pharisees, to be exact – caught a woman committing adultery. Rather than reprimand her mistake privately, they brought her before JESUS and a crowd of worshippers, hoping to humiliate her. But JESUS didn’t co-sign their antics. Instead, HE challenged them to look within: “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone” (John 8:7, New Living Translation)! And when the accusers left, HE didn’t further her embarrassment. HE gently guided her back on the right path: “… Go and sin no more” (John 8:11, New Living Translation).
I’m thankful that CHRIST isn’t like us. When we confide in HIM, HE forgives us; HE never publishes our darkest secrets. Thank GOD; HE’S such a gentle forgiver.
But if we confess our sins to HIM, HE is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness (1 John 1:9, New Living Translation).