Scripture Post #725: *WITHOUT SIN*

John 8:7: "So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her."

Disclaimer: The image used for this Scripture Post, in its original form, was from an image search engine. It is not an image of my own. 

Full Context For Those Interested In The Whole Story:

John 8:1: "Jesus went unto the mount of Olives."

V. 2: "And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them."

V. 3: "And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,"

V. 4: "They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act."

V. 5: "Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?"

V. 6: "This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not."

V. 7: "So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her."

V. 8: "And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground."

V. 9: "And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst."

V. 10: "When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?"

V. 11: "She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more."

Many twist this Scripture into meaning: "Don't judge unless you yourself have never sinned." And that's not at all what this Scripture means. 1st of all, JESUS didn't even say that. The Pharisees wanted to stone a woman to *death* who was caught in the act of adultery. Judging and killing are two completely different things. JESUS said: "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." Meaning: "Are there any among you who have no sin? Are there any among you who aren't worthy of death yourselves? Then who do you think you are in condemning this woman to death by stoning her?" You see? Only GOD is without sin. Therefore only GOD can sentence one to death. There is no human being that is without sin: 1st John 1:8: "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." JESUS wasn't saying not to judge in this Scripture. (If Christians never judged, people wouldn't know correction, leaving them bound by sin and on their way to a burning Hell.) JESUS was saying not to think you in GOD's position—a being without sin—to decide whether or not a person lives or dies. If I were never informed that listening to music with sexual, violent, and foul-language content was wrong, because it's sin unto GOD, then I'd still be bound by that type of music. I'm happy that I was told of how wrong I was in doing what I was doing. Judging by reproof and correction, edifies and informs. Apostle Paul wrote in 1st Cor. 5:12-13 that we judge those within (the Church) not those without (those in the world), for it's GOD who judges those in the world. 

1st Cor. 5:12: "For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?"

V. 13: "But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person."

JESUS instructed to judge righteously. 

John 7:24: "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment."

In making judgement, never punish as if you're in GOD's position to do so. After all, GOD forgave you and by HIS mercy and grace you did not get the punishment you deserved. But rather, let your love abound in your judgement!

Phil. 1:9: "And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;"

Originally Published: Sun. 9/7/14