Christ Daily

I apologize for the lack of posting recently. We have been quite busy between our personal lives and working on the next big thing here for Christ Daily. More information on that in the near future!

I started reading John chapter 8 last night, and paid particular attention to the first story in it. Here’s how it goes:

¹But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. ²At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. ³The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group ⁴and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. ⁵In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" ⁶They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

   But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. ⁷When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." ⁸Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

⁹At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. ¹⁰Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"

¹¹"No one, sir," she said.
      "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

- John 8:1-11

I’m sure we’ve all heard this story at one point or another, and it is indeed a good one. The leaders who brought this woman to Jesus were trying to put him in a trap: The law required the woman (and her partner) to be stoned, and if Jesus told them not to stone her, he would be violating the law. If he urged them to execute her, he’d have been reported. Instead, Jesus upheld the punishment, but said only those who have not sinned could punish her. Jesus did not condemn this adulterous woman; instead, he forgave her, and told her to leave her life of sin and straighten herself out.

How many times do you automatically condemn someone when they sin? Even if it’s not out loud – even if it’s in your head – don’t you realize that you, too, have sinned? I have sinned with you. We all have sinned. It’s not our job to judge others – that’s ultimately God’s. Our job is to love and forgive each other.

Thanks for reading!

- Josh

written by Josh \\ tags: condemning, Forgiveness, God, grace, Jesus, John, judging

Here’s a quick post I’ve been thinking about doing for a while.  Not to take the place of the Predestination one and the Sheltered Kids one I mentioned, but something real quick to leave you with before the weekend.

Do you think you have what’s called ‘Forgivness Syndrome?’  That’s when you KNOW that your sins have been forgiven and paid for, so you think ‘Hey – I’m forgiven!  I can do whatever I want now!’

Even to a lesser extent, you think ‘I know this is wrong… but the temptation is too great… I’ll give in this one time.  I’m already forgiven, aren’t I?’

Today, in the bible, we’re going back to Romans.

¹ Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? ² Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?

I know a lot of us, myself included begin to think ‘I know this is wrong, but I’m forgiven.’  This, according to the bible – to God – is wrong.  I think we get into the mindset that ‘Sin is something the God doesn’t want me to do’ rather then ‘Sin is evil by nature.’  Which it is; sin, in it’s very essence, is rebellion against God, who is the greatest good, and therefore, moving away from that is going towards evil.

It’s simply critical that we understand that Jesus DIED so you wouldn’t have to pay your debt; he did not die so you could continue to add to it.  It’s like someone paying your bail when you’re in jail, and you go right back out and commit more and more crimes.  That’s wrong, and some people are going to take advantage of God’s continuious forgivness, but we must not take it for granted.

Thanks for reading,
Lots of Love,
-Matt

written by Matt \\ tags: Christ, Forgiveness, Forgiveness Syndrome, Jesus, Questions, Romans, Sin, Struggle