TO CAST THE FIRST STONE! 10/31/10

EVEN THOUGH today is Halloween, I am not addressing Halloween. I did that last year, so if you want to talk about Halloween you can look at last years October Morning Glory on my blog. Instead, lets talk about somebody! Somebody who has done something very wrong and must face the consequences. Somebody who got caught doing this very bad thing and even though they have tried to put the pieces back together by repenting, receiving God's forgiveness and moving on, appears to get deeper and deeper in the pit and all the while is being condemned by their neighbors.

THROUGH the years as part of God's kingdom, I have seen these things take place and never quite understand how a Christian's life can fall apart when God says; "Take heed to yourselves; if your brother sins, rebuke him and if he repents, forgive him; and if he sins against you seven times in the day and turns to you seven times and says; "I repent," you must forgive him!" Luke 17:3-4 Sounds so simple, doesn't it? Lots of times we convict without proof!

A COUPLE OF THINGS I see in this scripture. One is to rebuke him while he is sinning; and to forgive him, when he repents. The other is, if he sins against you even 7 times in one day and 7 times says; "I repent," we are to forgive him. Nothing is said about finding fault continuously and tearing that person apart to get him to cry uncle or leave the church. I've looked, but I can't find that! I know that necessary discipline, needs to take place.

THE LESSON found in John 8 is an example of casting the first stone. "The upper crust, brought a woman caught in adultery and having set her in the midst they said to Jesus;" "Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery; in the very act!" verse 3-4 Wow! They witnessed this? They saw it first hand? The story comes with a very popular discussion about "what is Jesus writing on the gorund?" I always felt the discussion should be; "What were these men doing when they found her?" Makes me wonder, who are the busy bodies?

"BUT WHEN they persisted in asking Jesus, He straightens up and says to them;" "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." "Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground." verse 7-8 As you know, when Jesus looked again, the accusers were gone and the only one left was the woman. How sad for her to be in such a place! How sad for her to have no one be her advocate! But wait, Jesus was her advocate because He says to her when they were alone; "Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you!" And she said; "No one, Lord!" Then Jesus said; "Neither do I condemn you; go your way; from now on, sin no more." verse 10-11 The important discussion here is; "From now on, sin no more!"

WHEN DO WE draw the line and condemn? When do we decide, "I am the judge and jury!" It is true in Matthew 18:15-35, Jesus gives us understanding on how to disciple offenders. Those who are practicing sin! The one thing I notice is that it says; "go and tell him!" Doesn't say, talk about it with a friend; it doesn't say write a letter; it doesn't say go in anger. But these are things that are done. There are various steps to be taken but at the end in verse 17, "if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile." The great thing is, if he submits to council you have won your brother, if he does not and refuses to change, you treat him as a non-Christian; not simply as a penalty but to bring him to repentance and back into the fellowship.

WHO ARE WE to ask them to leave the church? Who are we to decide who gets discipined and who doesn't? Imagine you were the woman, caught in adultery! Imagine those sitting around waiting for what action is to be taken. What if you have already been forgiven? It is like being condemned to death when you were innocent. By Jane Ann Crenshaw 10/25/10