“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.” John 8:7
As Christians we need to learn to be truthful with ourselves
about our worldly status. These people wanted this woman stoned to death. This
is while they were tempting the Lord Jesus Christ by the Law of Moses. We do
not know what, if anything significant Jesus wrote on the ground as He ignored
them. This we do know, He asked a direct and very powerful statement, “He that
is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her”. I would like to
ask you, whom among you is without sin in your life? I am not talking about
being cleansed by the blood of Jesus, I am talking about after your saved, who
is without sin? As Christians we need to be careful that we do not think more
highly of ourselves than we ought too. “For
I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he
ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every
man the measure of faith.” Romans 12:3 When a person believes themselves to
be more holy, righteous, or a more important Christian than others then they “think
of himself more highly than he ought to think”. God said he has “dealt to every man the measure of faith.”
And that measure of faith is by grace. However, it also limits Christians in
their ability to understand, walk, and to abide by the scriptures. Sadly it
fears me that there are a lot of Christians that think more highly of
themselves than they should. The Apostle Paul said, “But by the grace of God I am
what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I
laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which
was with me.” 1 Corinthians 15:10 Paul understood that what he
was as a Christian, it was totally by God’s grace. Paul even went on to say “I laboured more abundantly than they all”
Paul realized that “I do not attribute it to myself, nor would I not boast of
it”. Paul, I believed understood that God had used him mightily in this world,
but he was not about to boast of it. I believe, to be a good Christian, Minister,
Missionary, or Pastor we “to think
soberly” that is clear headed about who we truly are. We are not better
than another Christian, we may labor harder, live more clean lives, believe
more truth, but we are all sinners, even after salvation. This woman in John
8:7 was going to sin again, but as a forgiven Christian Jesus told her to go, and
your sins are forgiven you. We as Christians need to be thankful that God has forgiven
all our sins, because if not we would all be in hell when we die. We need to remember
that “but the grace of God which was with
me” is the reason we believe one ounce of truth or have any good in our
earthly life. We will all learn at judgment time that we were not perfect, infallible,
but sinners that lived day by day by grace. Some sit around sounding off as
though they are supreme authority on the scriptures, that they know it all and
there is not room for error or difference, these people need “to think soberly”. As a Pastor you are responsible
for the church that God has set you in as their pastor. Tend to your own flock,
because while you are attempting to tend to other flocks yours may be falling
apart. We do not have any Apostles today,
I believe there were only twelve and Paul was the last one. Your articles and books
are not divinely inspired as scripture, they are not flawless. How will it feel
to stand before Jesus Christ and be told you were wrong on some doctrine? There
is not to be division among the believers in Jesus Christ. The early Christians
were arguing over whether they could eat meat or not, Paul told them “Let us therefore follow after the things
which make for peace, and things wherewith
one may edify another. Romans 14:19 Let us search for things we can “uplift”
one another, we should never work against each other, but find common ground.
Paul also wrote “How is it then,
brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine,
hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.” 1 Corinthians
14:26 Beloved, no one is perfect, no one is better than anyone else, and
we are all wrong about something. Let us pray that what we do believe is truth,
because I know who I am, a sinner saved by grace, but still fallible. But when
you come to our church I will seek ways to edify you not to tear you apart. I
pray everyday that where there might be error in any part on my doctrine,
thinking, pastoring, or ways, that God gives me the grace to be right. May God
help us all to be better Christians.
