John 8: 1-11 (NKJV)
“But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.”And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
In this story we see Jesus as one full of mercy, forgiveness, while never condoning / tolerating sin.
We can all learn from this story. This woman deserved to be condemned but Jesus offered her His mercy. In Matthew 7: 9 He says: “Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy”. We all need the mercy of God daily. Let’s show mercy to others around us so we can keep obtaining mercy too.
This woman deserved to be killed by stoning but Jesus offered her forgiveness. In Matthew 6:14 – 15 He says: “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses”. We all need forgiveness daily so we are commanded to forgive others so we can be forgiven.
Jesus did not however stop at showing mercy and granting forgiveness. He showed this woman a better way, a way out of the dominion of sin. He commanded and empowered her to “go and sin no more”. It is the same for us today. He is still showing us His mercy and forgiveness (because if he were to regard our iniquities and sin, none of us will stand), but at the same time, commanding us through His Word and the Holy Spirit to do away with sin.
It takes the help of the Holy Spirit to be this kind of woman. Ask Him to help you to be like Jesus in mercy, forgiveness for others, and a hatred for sin in your life.