How To Face God In My Sins?

* Two realities about our Sin.

1) Sin causes us to keep noticing our sins, feel accused and draw away from God.

2) Sin causes us to forget about our sins easily.

<Isa 1:18-19>: “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land.

Controversy surrounding <Jn 8:2-11>.

Read <Jn 8:2-4>

2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.

1) It is common for men to have compassion for those in great pain and suffering, but not for those who committed gross and heinous crimes.

2) Even if we do, we practise “selective compassion”. We are often not JUST in our compassion.

3) Yet, how would the absolutely holy and loving Jesus respond to such sin?

4) The pharisees have nothing but absolute contempt for this sinful woman.

The sinful woman before the pharisees

1) She was caught in the act (naked) – Shame, degradation, loss of dignity.

E.g. Adam and Eve, Noah.

2) The man who had committed the act together with this woman wasn’t brought to trial – Injustice

Read <Jn 8:5-6>

5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

Background of Jewish Nation

* The Jewish nation was under Roman subjugation.

* The Jewish state was allowed a certain measure of home rule.

* Yet, Roman law remains supreme. And the Jewish religious council are not allowed to impose the death penalty.

A TRAP was set up for Jesus 

* The Pharisees tried to catch Jesus in the horns of dilemma.

* Yet, our Lord Jesus actually took a clear stand with His assertion of truth.

* The stand is: Let the Law of Moses prevail! But who can be the executor?

Read <Jn 8:6-9>

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.

* Jesus wrote twice. What did Jesus write?

* Jesus said: “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

* Not a defense statement made for the woman, but a declaration of God’s righteousness.

Read <Jn 8:10-11>

10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

The sinful woman before the Lord Jesus

* There is still one person in that crowd who is sinless and has the right to execute the law to its fullest measure.

* If our Lord has executed his judgment, HE will still be JUST.

* Yet, HE didn’t do it cos HE also has the right to have mercy upon whom He wants to have mercy <Ro 9:15> – Sovereignty of God

What is it to be shown mercy? 

1) Our Lord Jesus has to pay the greatest price for it, which HE did willingly.

2) Yet, Jesus did not minimize the woman’s sin, but instructed her to leave that life of sin. Yet, leaving a life of sin is not a pre-requisite to forgiveness.

3) So it is important for us to continually feed on Christ’s mercy and let His mercy become our strength to overcome sin.