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

Just a quick note today on judging and making assumptions.

Although the Bible has many verses on judging people, unfortunately, everyone does it. Even Christians. I, myself, am guilty of this charge. It’s in our human nature to make assumptions about other people and judge what they’re doing and/or how they’re doing it, and better yet – who they are.

However, there is one form of judging that I try not to do most – and it is one that rather angers me – and that is judging others’ relationships with God.

For example, Switchfoot is a popular band. Although they have Christian beliefs and a Christian background, they are now in the mainstream music market, leaving many Christians calling them terms such as “sell-outs” and “backsliders”. Isn’t that rather judgmental?

Switchfoot may be witnessing just as well as bands like Third Day and Jars of Clay. Do we really know? Maybe God has called them to be in the mainstream scene because they’d witness to folks better there?

Is there anyone that you have thought to be a sellout lately?

written by Josh \\ tags: assumptions, bands, Christian, judging