By Joseph O. Babatunde
Text: John 1:14-17.
Biblically, God’s law specifies the moral standards He wants humanity to live by. They are rules or principles involved in having a relationship with God.
However, no mortal man, since the fall of Adam and Eve, is able to perfectly keep all the various laws in the Old Covenant, but daily break them, in thought, word and deed. Hence, it is written in James 3:2 that “In many things we offend all”.
God gave Moses up to about 613 laws to enable him govern the Israelites. Despite all the laws, they kept wallowing in sins, as it was difficult to please God in the human flesh.
Consequently, it became apparent that instituting various laws could not stop people from living a sinful life. To be able to receive the power to live in dominion over sins, God had to send His only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ in flesh to dwell among us, to herald the dispensation of grace and truth- John 1:14.
Grace, is “the love, favour and mercy given to us by God because He desires us to have it, not necessarily because of anything we have done to have it”. Grace is an attribute of God that is most manifest in the salvation of sinners. It is an unmerited favour from God, which can only be received by faith.
The case of the woman caught in the act of adultery:
And the above clear distinction between law and grace accounts for why in John 8:1-11, the Scribes and Pharisees were set to stone to death the woman caught in the act of adultery according to the Mosaic law. The law is unmistakeable about her punishment. The Pharisees are ready to stone her, she knows that Jesus, being righteous must agree. She has no lawyer to defend her, not even a character witness!
Jesus surprisingly asked her accusers who among them has never committed any sins. Their conscience convicted them and one after the other they all dropped the stones in their hands and dispersed.
Suddenly, Jesus stoops and began to write in the sand, some scholars have suggested that perhaps He wrote down their sins, times, places etc. When He looks up, her accusers are gone. He says ,”Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more (vs 11).
Jesus lifted her from a position of undeniable guilt to one of unconditional pardon. She didn’t deserve it and didn’t know it was possible and that’s your story too, isn’t it?
But as a demonstration of His redemptive love for the lost, Jesus offered her salvation and a way out of sin. The grace of God, through Jesus Christ located her and her life was saved.
About 5 lessons to be learnt from her case:
1): John 8: 2: The Scribes and Pharisees brought her to Jesus where He was teaching and preaching the gospel. The divine encounter happened where Jesus was busy doing the Father’s work. You want to experience miracles, time to arise and preach the gospel. You want to be used as a vessel of honour, time to arise and preach the good news.
God will use you as a vessel of honour in preaching the gospel in Jesus mighty name.
2): John 8:4-6: They came to Jesus primarily to test Him. Because Jesus said in Mathew 5:17 that He came to fulfill the law and not to destroy the law. They deliberately wanted to see if Jesus will go against the Mosaic law. In the Christian journey, we are bound to pass through different trials. As James wrote in chapter 1:2-3, let’s count it all joy when we pass through such trials.
3): John 1:6-7: Jesus was patient in responding to their question. He was calm and patient. He never acted or spoke in haste. When we are confronted with different situations in life, let’s be patient. Let’s learn to pray and wait upon the Lord before we respond to different situations. James 1:19 says be quick to hear but be patient in responding.
God will grant us the patience required in responding to issues of life that will confront us day by day in Jesus mighty name.
4): John 8:8-9: He bent down and sought divine direction by writing on the ground what Bible Scholars referred to the sins, shortcomings and inadequacies of her accusers. He rose up and told them that whoever among them had never committed any sins to throw the first stone. They dropped their stones and departed one after the other.
God will grant us divine direction that will empower us to live a life of victory in Jesus mighty name.
5): John 8:10-11: Jesus thereafter told the woman all the accusers are gone and no one can condemn her. She was set free but commanded by Jesus to go and sin no more. The grace of God located her. Jesus restored her life. Instead of death, she received life.
The grace of God will locate you in this revival program and you will be set free from all oppression in Jesus mighty name.