Today’s Devotional – Go and Sin No More

In John Chapter 8 we read a story that illustrates God’s compassion and grace. As we examine the scripture, notice this lesson is not an abuse of God’s grace, but rather it’s a proper use of His grace.

Hoping to trap Him in a technicality regarding Levitical law, the teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought a woman to Jesus with the accusation that she was caught in adultery. Instead of falling into their trap, however, Jesus used this opportunity to illustrate the important message of compassion and grace. 

After challenging the men with conviction of their own sin, Jesus turned to the woman and said, “Neither do I condemn thee, go, and sin no more.”

As you see, this wasn’t a license to sin, it was an invitation to start walking in truth. That’s the two-fold message of grace. He didn’t condone her sin. He encouraged her to grow by turning away from a life of sin.

My parents had a sign hanging in our home that read, “Please be patient, God isn’t finished with me yet.” It served to remind us of two things: 1. give grace to the ones who are growing, and 2. keep on growing yourself.

Our walk of faith isn’t about perfection, it’s about progression. A readiness to leave sin behind, with an onward motion to the goal ahead.

As long as we’re in the in the flesh, we’re fighting an ongoing battle. Some days we overcome temptation but some days we fail.

And so, like Paul, we respond to the grace we’ve been given by keeping our eyes on the prize set before us. We stop looking back and start looking ahead. We set aside anything that stands in the way of serving Christ, and by His power and strength, we press on.

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14, NIV)

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Tilling the Soil

Read John 8.

Planting Hope

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14, NIV)

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