Not guilty!

I was recently reading the story in John 8 about the adulteress woman. The Pharisees brought her before Jesus who was teaching in front of a great crowd of people. They accuse her of being caught in the act of adultery. What shame and embarrassment she must have felt! The Pharisees, in what they thought a brilliant trap, asked Jesus what must be done for under the Law she was to be stoned. Here Jesus had to either go against the Law or go against the message of love and grace that He had been preaching. 

This is when Jesus said, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." John 8:7. After all of the Pharisees had left, Jesus says to her, "Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?" Once she answers Him no, He adds to it, "Neither do I condemn you". Jesus was the only perfect one who could have cast a stone, and He chose to give her the verdict of not guilty. Incredible! 

To accuse means to charge with a fault or offense. Satan is called the accuser! If people, or even own thoughts,  are reminding us of our past sins, it is not coming from Jesus! (Thank you Lord!) For the Lord has promised us in Romans, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."  With Easter approaching tomorrow, I am overwhelmed with God's grace that He has willingly offered me. I have never and will never do anything to deserve it, and yet because I serve a risen Savior who died on the cross for my sins, I have the ability to stand with my list of sins and deeds stretched out around me and still be given the verdict of  "Not Guilty!"