September 15, 2024 Recap

Our scripture last week was from John 7-8:11. There are so many nuggets in these verses and it is hard sometimes to narrow it down to one point. But, 7:24 really stuck out to me:

JUDGE NOT ACCORDING TO APPEARANCE, BUT JUDGE WITH A RIGHTEOUS JUDGEMENT.

Jesus has an encounter with a woman and teaches us how to do that!

He was approached by the Pharisees and they tested Him in order to accuse Him. She was guilty of breaking the Law, and so were they according to John 7:22. The Pharisees set her in the midst and they wanted her stoned for her sinfulness. Leviticus 20:10 tells us that is the rightful punishment. Jesus, however, used righteous judgement. Which would be better, death or restoration? In Romans 2:2-4 we read that the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. The law had two objectives: To reveal the Holiness of God and to reveal the sinfulness of man. The law is not able to heal or restore. A friend of mine said once, "The law is an x-ray, it's not the cure."

The compassion that Jesus had for all those He touched demonstrates that He chose restoration and healing over death. Sin can never be overlooked, dismissed, excused, or accepted. There is a penalty for sin. Jesus' love for us is deep and He demonstrated that love in that while we were sinners He died for us and offers us life and forgiveness and not punishment and death.

So, how then shall we live? When we are confronted with someone who is caught in sin, in a cycle of sin, or a sinful lifestyle, we should use that same righteous judgement. Not condemnation but compassion. We as followers of Jesus should seek to restore those with the truth of who Jesus is and His love for them. Let's judge righteously not according to appearance.