No Condemnation Today's Three-minute Bible Study Print, Study and Apply Title: No Condemnation -------------------------- Date: 11/24/2000 Keywords: "Christ" "condemnation" Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation. Passages* Romans 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. John 8:2-11 2. At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4. and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" 6. They 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. 7. When 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." 8. Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9. At 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. 10. Jesus straightened up and asked here, "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." Questions 1. What is condemnation?   2. Do you live your life as one who has been condemned or one who has been found guilty but pardoned?   3. Why were the first to leave this scene the eldest?   4. Are there areas in your life where you act like the accusers in this passage, preparing to hurl stones at others while hiding or denying your own guilt?   Practical help Jesus' ministry was never one of condemnation. It was never his objective to mete out the punishment that is deserved by each and every one of us. The desire of his heart is to take away that sentence of death and to take it upon himself, which he accomplished at the cross. Every one of us has the chance to live free of the death sentence. We don't need a clever lawyer or creative arguments to weasel out of what we deserve — the price is already paid in full. To learn more about real "amnesty international," click here. If your struggle with porn is not your own personal issue but that of a close friend or relative, you would do well to meditate on this passage. Since porn isn't your problem, has your attitude toward others been tainted with the arrogance of the accusers in this passage? Or do you lovingly come alongside them, offering them the bond of fellowship and forgiveness in Christ? Or, if you do struggle with porn but not in some other area, are you busy picking up stones to throw at someone else over their specific problem? Maybe you ought to wise up like the older ones in this passage. The last instruction from Jesus in this passage is the word that should come out more clearly than anything else: "Go now and leave your life of sin." eXXit homepage Index of three-minute studies Copyright 2000 by eXXit *Scriptures are from The Holy Bible: New International Version © Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. All rights reserved.