John 8:11 (ESV) … She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”
With her accusers gone and no one left to condemn this woman, Jesus was free to exercise his divine prerogative to forgive sin. Forgiveness is the offer that the Lord makes to this woman.
However, this offer of forgiveness was not an offer to go on sinning. It was not a license to continue in sin. While Jesus did not seek to condemn her, He did offer her forgiveness if she would repent and abandon her sinful lifestyle. The abandoning of sin would be the mark that she had placed her faith in Him.
Encountering Jesus always demands a transformed life. Coming to Jesus requires a turning away from sin. Sin is never treated lightly by Jesus. While Christ is willing to offer us a new life with a fresh start, He will always demand we give up sin to receive His forgiveness.
This encounter is a beautiful picture of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is gracious in humility, infinite in wisdom, convicting in speech, and tender in forgiveness. When we stand before Jesus accused by the world and Satan, we can take courage in knowing that this is the Jesus we stand before when we need forgiveness.
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