Truth in Tension: Seeing Jesus ClearlyНамуна

Judgement & Sin

John 8 tells the famous story of a woman who was caught in the very act of adultery and brought before Jesus. The crowd tries to trap Jesus and says, “This woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” (v.4-6). Jesus silently kneels down and begins to write in the dust with His finger. After a few moments, He gets up and says to the crowd, “Let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone” (v.7). Slowly, the men walk away, and Jesus is left standing with the woman.

At this point, Jesus makes a seemingly paradoxical statement to the woman. He tells her that He does not condemn her, and then He tells her to go and sin no more. Through these statements, we see two obvious lenses that people frequently use to understand Jesus. Both of these lenses provide a valuable perspective on God, but one without the other will lead to a distorted view of who He is.

Lens 1: The God who doesn’t condemn you.

This is the beautiful reality of being a follower of Jesus. He took all of our punishment and guilt. We are not condemned because of His righteousness. This lens serves as a constant reminder of God's grace.

Lens 2: The God who tells us to sin no more.

The truth is that Jesus came to free us from sin. Sin ensnares us and creates a divide between God and humanity. Jesus calls His followers to put to death our old life of sin and embrace the life He has called us to.

When we see Jesus through both of these lenses simultaneously, we gain a healthy understanding of who He is. However, viewing Him through only one lens at a time leads to a misunderstanding of God's heart and nature. Focusing solely on lens #1 causes us to disregard sin, but when we see Him only through lens #2, all we see is sin.

Romans 6:1-2 provides the clearest understanding of how these lenses are used simultaneously to see God clearly. It says, “Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?”

If this balance is off, then the response is clear.

If you see God's grace merely as a license to sin, take this moment to pray and repent. If there is anything in your life that you're clinging to, which God has urged you to release, now is the perfect time to obey. Establish boundaries in your life and make choices that steer you away from sin, not towards it.

If all you see is sin and you are constantly condemning yourself and those around you, then trust Jesus at His word. Jesus came to free you from shame and guilt! The reality is that some people choose to live in shame because at least then they feel something. You don't have to settle for anything less than what Jesus offers. Turn to Him today and trust Him as He releases you from your guilt.