03/12/10 condemnation

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus

This is one scripture that I can give mental ascent to, but putting it into practice is something entirely different.

Condemnation – condemning judgment in Greek, the worst kind.

The woman caught in adultery and brought to Jesus – caught, guilty, without defense, full of shame and self condemnation.

We know the story.  The accusers bringing her to Jesus with the stones in their hands, full of judgmental anger and hatred for Christ. 

They were ready to stone her, and trying to trap Him with their schemes. 

And the Lord who knew their motives and their lives calmly and without words defuses the situation by writing in the sand.

Let the sinless one – he who is without sin, cast the first stone.  And very shortly the only one left was The Sinless One, alone with the accused.

Jesus then turned to her.  He looked into her eyes and asked where the accusers were, is there no one left?

Standing in front of the Lord of Love – the perfect sinless Saviour, she understood and said no Lord, there is no one left. 

She saw in His eyes for the first time in her life perhaps, hope, love, and maybe the possibility for a life without the weight of condemning guilt.

So then she saw that she herself did not have to be a condemner either.  No Lord there is no one left to condemn me.  Sweet words indeed.  Much is said in them.

How often do we allow our own guilty condemnation cast those stones?  Living in shame and guilt from the past is not why He died for us. 

He purchased all of that – all of the sin, and all of the shame guilt and sorrows of our imperfect pasts. 

He exchanged those things for hope joy and love. 

When we stand in front of Him we can now – knowing that our accusers have all gone – let go of our heavy hearts born of grief and shame over our pasts.

We can look as she did into the eyes of the redeemer, our Saviour, the lover of our souls. 

And when we see into those eyes we find the only thing that He has for us, His deep love. 

Then we too can allow that love to pierce our hearts and penetrate the clouds that we have lived in of our past failures. 

And we can say as she did, when asked where her accusers are: there are none.

With these words the clouds and fog of condemnation grief shame and sorrow disperse and we are able to see the only thing that is left, His love for us.

Open your heart to His piercing loving gaze into your soul.  He sees all of the dirt, all of the sin, all of the guilt and shame, and He simply loves us. 

He simply loves you.

And He asks where are your accusers?

What will your answer be?