Scribbling In The Sand

I’ve often related to the woman who was set to be stoned. While I’ve not made the same choice she made, there are certainly other sinful decisions in my past. I still desire forgiveness and salvation in spite of those actions.

That one moment in this story - when Jesus stops to write in the sand - really stands out to me. I picture this moment as a slow-motion film scene when everything goes silent. Everyone is frozen in place except Jesus as he stoops to scribble in the sand.  

This is the story from John 8:1-11 (NASB):

 The Adulterous Woman

8 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. ² And early in the morning He came again into the temple area, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began teaching them. ³ Now the scribes and the Pharisees *brought a woman caught in the act of adultery, and after placing her in the center of the courtyard, ⁴ they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the very act of committing adultery. ⁵ Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” ⁶ Now they were saying this to test Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. ⁷ When they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” ⁸ And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. ⁹ Now when they heard this, they began leaving, one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman where she was, in the center of the courtyard. ¹⁰ And straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” ¹¹ She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on do not sin any longer.”

Here's a question to ponder. . .  When was the woman saved? 

Was it the moment she was brought to Jesus? Was it when He wrote on the ground? Was it when He spoke the words, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”? Was it individual moments when each of her accusers left one at a time? Was it when Jesus stood and told her, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on do not sin any longer.”?

To me, saved – at first – is saved from being stoned. The woman isn’t making any choices. She is given mercy by the individual accusers when they are faced with their own sins. She is given forgiveness by Jesus Christ by His words and deeds. 

The only choice she can make is after those acts of mercy and forgiveness. Her ultimate and eternal salvation is conditional on her future behavior. Does she “go and sin no more”? We don’t know.

I do know that adultery or similar sins are not an ‘oops’ type of behavior. Those actions are a conscious choice. The story says that the woman was caught in the ACT of adultery. I like to think that after the moment of forgiveness she experienced, she made better future choices.

I’d like to think I am making better future choices as well. There were certainly poor conscious choices in my past. Am I living a ‘go and sin no more’ existence now?  

My desire is to be fully intentional with the choices I make each day. I pray for ‘go and sin no more’ actions that are worthy and just in the eyes of anyone watching. including my Heavenly Father. What result do I want from my positive decisions? It would be great to never have to search for solace among sinful souls with hands full of stones aimed my way.

Ultimately, I just want to hear, "Well done.", as I'm allowed into those pearly gates.