Neither Do I Condemn You - Don’t Give Up On Life Yet

Everyone saw the constant smile on her face, the beauty that constantly radiated through her eyes and the confidence with which she walked. She was raised a good girl, a virgin, and proudly married as one. Everyone knew that. But no one knew the inner battles she was going through, the weakness that was out to consume her - her lack of sexual satisfaction in only one man, her husband.

This was never the life she had planned for when she said “I do” to him. She had vowed to love and give her body only to him. But then life happened and she soon discovered her body always wanted more and more, regardless of how hard she tried to control herself, there always seemed to be more out there than only her husband could give her.

She knew it was wrong to even think of such but the thoughts keep showing up in her head, several times a day. Sometimes she resisted them but at other times she secretly enjoyed them. “It’s just a thought!” She must have said to herself.

And then the temptations started coming. Day in day out. Week after week, nice, young and handsome rich men stood in her way. On the streets, in the market, and even in the church. Poor, rich, old and young men never let her be.

She kept resisting these temptations and the strong urge to taste life outside of her matrimonial bed until one day something happened. She had woken up very early in the morning that day to prepare for the gathering at the temple. Her husband was still sleeping, tired from yesterday’s work so she let him sleep on.

Putting on her clothes and favourite perfume as usual, she dashed out of the house towards the temple. Halfway to the gathering, she remembered she needed to check up on one of the brothers she had met at the temple sometime ago. The only true male friend she had confided in about her sexual weakness and struggles apart from her husband.

Is it the way he hugged her that morning to welcome her into his house? Or the way he rubbed her shoulders while she was still in his embrace? Or the special way with which he looked into her eyes telling how beautiful she was that morning? She can’t remember.

All she remember was that within a few minutes of getting to that house she was stark naked with him on his bed before the noise and strong hands of men yanked her from the bed with her barely managing to put on some of her clothes.

Passing through the streets that led to the temple, all the men she had at one time refused their sexual advances jeered profusely at her -especially the scribes and Pharisees. With each picking his own stone, they joined the crowd and dragged her to the temple to meet a man whom they would make preside over the case as judge. Of course the outcome of the judgement was already certain. They were only waiting for the judge to pronounce it before they will all stone her to death.

Knowing fully well the demands of the Law and her coming fate, she gave up on life and left herself at the mercy of her captors and accusers without any attempt to run or escape. She eagerly waited for the judge to pronounce it so she could escape the shame of her actions through death.

Such is the story of the woman who was caught in adultery in John chapter 8.

Joh 8:2  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. 

Joh 8:3  And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, 

Joh 8:4  They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 

Joh 8:5  Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 

Joh 8:6  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. 

Joh 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. 

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

If this woman were to be younger and here today, she would be that young girl reading this who had brought shame upon herself by getting pregnant outside of wedlock.

If she were to be a young man here, she would be that young man out there reading this who is currently battling drug addictions, alcohol and porn.

She would be that man who due to the pressures of life had given in to armed robbery, 419, bribery and corruption.

She would be that young single mother who for the sake of her child would do anything for money for that child to eat. Or the fellow who would do any kind of dirty business to survive.

She would be that fellow who had struggled to no avail to live right and had given up completely. The fellow whom the society had concluded a nonentity, good for nothing and eternally useless.

She would be that fellow who is highly religious and all smiles but deep down is going through serious issues no one knows nor can fully comprehend.

She would be that fellow with a bottle of “sniper,” gun, knife or even rope waiting to end his life before reading this. The fellow who had already drafted his or her suicide letter.

Regardless of how she relates to your own story, here is what the master, the true judge of the earth said to her and is saying to you right now.

Joh 8:10  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? 

Joh 8:11  She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. 

“Neither do I condemn thee!”

“Neither do I condemn thee dear daughter!”

“Neither do I condemn thee dear son!”

Rom 8:33  Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 

Rom 8:34  Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 

Rom 8:35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 

Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 

Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Don’t give up on life yet. Don’t go the way of suicide because of whatever it is that you have done. God in Christ declares you “justified,” “free from condemnation”

I hope this meets you at the right time.

“Neither do I condemn thee: don’t take your life yet. Go and sin no more”

Glory to God!

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