"NEITHER DO I CONDEMN THEE"
by
Dirk Anderson
Leading her lover into the bedroom, Mary grasped the drapes
and pulled them over the window, darkening the room. It was
happening again. She knew it was wrong, but it had become a
habit. Her conscience screamed at first. Now, having been seared
so often, it barely raised a whimper.
As they embraced, Mary's mind began to wander. She
remembered the sunny, carefree days of her childhood, her days of
innocence. Her mind went back to the day she first made bread for
her daddy. She was so proud of it. Setting the warm bread before
him, she looked up expectantly into his face. Warmth and
appreciation filled his eyes. He smiled that big smile that
little girls love. His kind words of gratitude were music to her
ears. She felt so loved. If only she could find that love again.
The quiet of the room was quickly broken by a storm of angry
voices. Enraged faces surrounded her. In fear, she grasped for
the sheet and held it tightly. The invaders rudely grabbed and
marched her out into the daylight. Her ears rung with their stern
denunciations: "Adulterer!" "Sinner!" She had never felt lower.
In the light of day she could make out who these invaders
were - the religious leaders of her city, the "good" people.
Their snarling faces terrified her, and she looked down in shame.
They pushed her along to their destination, where she was dumped
unceremoniously on the ground. Eyes closed, she pressed her face
into the dust of the street and listened anxiously, quivering
with fear. The religious leaders were asking someone for
permission to stone her to death. For a moment, death did not
seem like such a bad idea. Maybe it would bring her the peace
that she had never found in life. Then she heard the voice of the
Messiah, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone
first."
Her body tensed as she prepared for the blows. Surely the
Messiah would condemn her as a law-breaker! Was it not He who
said that a man would be guilty of adultery for even looking with
wanton lust upon a woman? She was far more guilty - a hardened
sinner and certainly worthy of the death penalty imposed by
Moses' law.
Tears streamed from her eyes into the dusty street. What
would Daddy think of his daughter when he found out how she died?
How disappointed he would be! He had always wanted the best for
his children. But she had made a wreck of life. If only she could
have a second chance.
With a start, she realized the street had become strangely
quiet. She kept her head down, not daring to raise it even for a
moment - until she heard the Messiah's voice: "Woman, where are
those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?"
With trepidation, she slowly looked up, wiping tears from
her eyes. Her accusers were gone! Puzzled, her blurry eyes looked
toward the Messiah, and in a choked voice she replied, "No one,
Lord."
She looked down again, gritting her teeth to receive His
stern denunciation. He is so good and pure that He must really
despise sinners like me! she told herself.
For a moment, there was silence as thoughts raced through
her mind. She remembered the healings performed by this Man and
His words of love and mercy for sinners. New hope sprang up in
her soul. She heard Him approach and kneel next to her. She
raised her eyes and looked up into His face. Instead of a snarl,
she found compassion. Tears filled His eyes, and His hand reached
out to her in love. He gently touched her shoulder. For a moment,
it felt as though He was sharing her pain. He knew what she was
going through and felt her shame. For the first time in her life,
the woman found Someone who really knew her - and understood. Was
this the love that all of her adulterous affairs had failed to
bring?
His voice breaking with compassion, the Messiah replied,
"Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."
Unspeakable joy flooded her soul. The Messiah lifted her to
her feet. The shame was gone. She had been acquitted, given a
second chance! Her innocence returned. With gratitude, she looked
into the Messiah's eyes. Warmth and love filled His eyes and
face, with that big smile that little girls love. She felt so
loved! She couldn't help but smile as she turned and walked away
- a new person.
The Messiah turned to those watching the breathtaking scene
unfold and firmly declared, "I am the light of the world."
The light brightens up the world, and makes it a happier,
better place. The light did not come to the world to condemn it
but to revolutionize it. Most people, except for some haughty
religious leaders, had already figured out they had a sin
problem. The Messiah didn't come to Earth to tell people how bad
they were but to show us how good the Father is. By His life, His
light, His example, the Messiah showed people who the Father is.
Every act of healing, every look of compassion, every word of
mercy and love revealed that the Father loves us earnestly. He
knew that condemnation does not change people. People are changed
by beholding love. Like a brilliant, shining light, His example
of selfsacrificing love has brightened the dark pathway of
millions who are hurting, sick, discouraged, and sinful.
Are you a sinner? Have you failed? The Messiah looks upon
you today with the same compassion and love that He expressed to
the woman caught in adultery. He feels the pain you are
suffering. The voice of Christ echoes down through history,
speaking to you today, "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no
more."
Dirk Anderson writes from Jacksonville, FL, where he's helping
plant a new CoG7 congregation.
......................
From "The Bible Advocate" - September 2009 - a publication of the
Church of God,
Seventh Day, Denver, CO, USA
NOTE:
On this day of the Last Great Feast (whichever year it is),
millions, nay, billions will get a chance to experience the love,
the mercy, the grace of God. Down the centuries past, people have
lived and died, in sin. They never had the Gospel open their eyes
to truth and righteousness. Most of them never even heard the
name of Jesus Christ mentioned, let alone the details of the good
news of salvation through that only name whereby they can be
saved. It is written in the New Testament that God does not want
anyone to perish, but He desires all to come to repentance. In
His love and mercy, He will grant billions from the past to be
resurrected in a physical manner (as He says, is anything to hard
for the Lord). He will open the books of the Bible to them, most
seeing and reading it for the first time. He will open the book
of life for them. They will be taught the Word of God. They will
come to know Jesus Christ, and that only through Him is there
salvation.
Billions will find the right love, the right way to live, the
true way to salvation and the Kingdom of God. For all their past
sins (in their darkness of mind when they lived before); for
perhaps their premature death as small children, or as a baby,
they will live again to have a chance of knowing the true God and
His Son Christ Jesus. Through their tears of wonderment and joy
in finding the true love of a merciful Father, they will rejoice
in knowing they are not condemned.
It is the time of the Last Great Feast, the SECOND RESURRECTION
(Revelation 20) - the White Throne Judgment!!
You may have been taught by the false Christian denominations,
that sinners who do not accept Christ as Savior in this life,
will burn forever in a suffering hell-fire. They even try to use
a few Scriptures of the Bible to tell you that even people in
distant lands whom the Christian missionary never reached, will
either be in heaven or hell-fire based upon "their society rules"
and how those people scored by their standards. If over the pass
line, they get heaven, if under the pass line, they get hell-
fire. They try to tell you God sets the pass line for any
particular nation, whenever it was a nation with those people in
it.
All that fancy-foot theology is plainly contrary to the many
statements Jesus Himself gave in the Gospel of John, that He only
was the way into the sheep-fold; that only through Him could
anyone be brought into the Kingdom. Yes, Jesus said that truth,
you can read it for yourself in the Gospel of John.
Then there are all the billions through time who have been
deceived and spiritually blinded by the other "big" religions of
the world like Islam and others. Most of them, though perhaps
hearing with the ear the name of Jesus Christ, have never
inquired about Him, or have never read one word of the Bible.
I have gone into detail about "spiritual blindness" in my in-
depth study called "The Great White Throne Judgment." As the
apostle Paul shows in Romans 9 through 11, even most of Israel
are spiritually blinded, and Paul says it is God who has blinded
them, or left them blinded, and only called a relatively few to
grace and salvation.
The plan of salvation by God, for all peoples, is just that, a
plan, a one, two, three step plan if you like. The vast majority
of people up to the Second Coming of Christ, were never called or
chosen to obtain salvation. They will have a chance to be called
and chosen, when they are resurrected to physical life again, in
the SECOND resurrection, mentioned in the last verses of
Revelation 20.
The Eternal God has not condemned these people, they will rise
again, they will be given the clear understanding about Jesus,
they will have the books of the Bible opened to them. They will
have a chance to be written in the book of life, and to so
inherit the Kingdom of God.
What an age that will be, the time of the Great White Throne
Judgment. You should REJOICE in this Last Great Feast Day. Loving
and Merciful is our God!
Amen and Amen
Keith Hunt
