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Recently in Bible Study Fellowship we studied the story of the adulterous woman found in John 8:1-11. There is so much to learn from this story, from Jesus’ example. Let’s take a look at the characters found in this scene: The teachers of the law, the woman caught in the act of adultery, and Jesus.
The teachers of the law were trying to trap Jesus. In the previous chapter of John, ‘The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?”’ Jesus’ teaching stirred up the crowd to ask who is this man, and Jesus proclaiming to be God’s son, caused division among them leading the Jews to want to kill him. Their jealousy and unbelief that Jesus was the Messiah led to so much hatred that they were willing to use a woman to try to trap Him. They had no compassion for the woman, and the man who was caught in the act, he was callously indifferent to her plight. His name wasn't even mentioned in Scripture. The woman who was used by the religious leaders wasn’t named in Scripture either. She was defenseless before the men who judged her, and her fate rested in Jesus’ hands while she endured condemnation and humiliation from the crowd. We could say that she deserved it … that she made her bed and now she must lie in it. Thankfully, Jesus didn’t see it that way. Jesus didn’t respond in haste to the religious leader’s accusations of the woman. He paused while his opponents waited for his response, and what they hoped would be the undoing of His ministry. Jesus’ response teaches us to stop and think before acting in haste. His example challenges us to pause when we want to rush into situations thinking we know what exactly should be done. Jesus quietly stooped down and started writing in the sand. What did he write? Did he list the names of those standing there and their sins? We don’t know what he wrote, but as he was writing, the leaders continued to question Him, goading him into giving them an answer. Jesus used great restraint in not responding. We can learn from this, too … that when Jesus was reviled, He didn’t revile back. He used wisdom and discernment of when to speak, and when to be quiet. Then Jesus stood back up and looked at the men. His penetrating gaze must have made them uncomfortable while they were waiting for a verdict of condemnation, waiting for permission to throw the first stone at the woman. Instead, Jesus said, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:7 Such wisdom from the Son of God. Jesus didn’t excuse the woman’s sin, nor did he excuse the religious leaders’ sin. He didn’t dispute their accusation against the woman. Instead, he placed her sin in context. She was standing in a crowd of people who were also sinners. Every one of us deserves God’s judgement. We’ve all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Rom. 3:23 Thankfully, God made a way for us to be saved from our sin by sending Jesus to earth as a baby. And that by believing in Him ... that He lived, died, and rose again, we can be saved. After Jesus made this last statement, He bent down again and started writing in the sand. During this next pause, the hard hearts of the religious leaders was exposed. They recognized their sin, and one by one they dropped their stones. They began to leave … the oldest first. I wonder why the oldest left first. Was it because they saw a lifetime of sin flash before their eyes, and they recognized they had no standing before God? That they had no right to accuse the woman of adultery when they had their own long list of sins? As the crowd began to disperse, Jesus turned to woman and said, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” John 8:10 What grace Jesus gave her. There was so much He could have said to her. He could have berated her, been angry with her, listed all of her sins, gone around to other people gossiping about her. He could have walked away from her, letting her know she wasn’t worth His time. He could have let the stones fly at her. Instead, He gave her grace, questioning her. I wonder what led her to this desperate place she was in. Was it the excitement of the Festival of Booths? I always thought it was a house that she was dragged out of, but it was a booth made out of reeds. Not a very quiet, private place. Did she think she would go undetected? Did she think at all? Why did she have an affair in the first place? Was her marriage failing? Was she was looking for a way of escape? Did the man pay her to sleep with him? Did he make promises to her and proclaim that he loved her? Did he manipulate her to get what he wanted? Was the man paid by the religious leaders to do this to her? What lies of Satan was she believing? We don’t know what led her there, but I can imagine all kinds emotions that she was experiencing while standing before the crowd. Shame, humiliation, fear, fear of the pain of the first stone that would hit her, fear of death as the stones would pile upon her, anger at the religious leaders who trapped her, anger at the man who used her, anger at her husband and those who deemed her unworthy and judged her. Did she want to speak up and defend herself? Yet she stood there silently. Was it with resignation of being caught? Was she relieved that her life was coming to an end? We don’t know what brought her to this desperate place, but we do know that there were people who thought her life had no value or worth. They were willing to use her, disregard and discard her. How quickly we judge people, preferring to be spectators of the drama in their lives, rather than coming alongside them, asking questions, and offering them a hand up. When we look at how they treated her and consider the situation she found herself in, perhaps we gain a little bit of understanding and maybe even some compassion for her. Jesus didn’t excuse her sin, and neither should we, but he did speak to her directly about it, “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” John 8:11 He spoke life-giving words of grace to her. He gave her a second chance, redemption, and restored her dignity. He mercifully saved her life. Again, Jesus gives us another example to follow. Just a few chapters earlier in John 4, Jesus mercifully saved another woman’s life. He spoke directly to the Samaritan woman at the well about her sin. She too was discarded and disregarded by the people in her life, but He cared enough about her to speak to her, and then reveal Himself as the Messiah. Jesus champions women. He extended grace to both of them. He met them where they were at, and gave them life-giving words of grace. He extended the second chance of redemption. This is the example we want to follow. Woman are deceived into believing that their life has no value or worth, and that lie extends to the life they carry in the womb. As the effects of Prop 3 are felt, woman are going to find themselves in desperate places. They are going to need to hear the life-giving, grace-filled words of Jesus. Rather than words of condemnation and judgement from us about the situations they find themselves in, let’s have direct, compassionate conversations that remind women of their value and worth, and point them to the Redeemer who gives them second chances.
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Recently I heard a speaker dismiss the pro-life work of Berrien County Right to Life (BCRTL). BCRTL works alongside Right to Life of Michigan to pass laws that help save the lives of the unborn and the marginalized. We also educate people as to why these laws are necessary. I wholeheartedly agreed with the speaker’s statement that day, “The law will never change the hearts and minds of people, only the gospel can do that.” I agree, but I felt that he missed the point and the purpose of the law which can and does affect the hearts and minds of the people. Therefore this blog seeks to bring into perspective as to why we need just laws in place to protect people.
The history of government began in Genesis in the Garden of Eden with the first man and woman. Adam and Eve were given one law: you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die (Gen 2:17). They were given every tree for enjoyment, but they were restricted from one single tree. Obedience to this law would be the gateway to life. Failure to obey would lead to death. To succeed at keeping this law, Adam and Eve had to self-govern. And as we all know, they failed. Through their failure, sin entered into the world, and all men, from the beginning of time until now, struggle to self-govern. The inability to self-govern in Adam’s day led to an increase in violence and eventually led to destroying one another as in the case of Adam’s sons—Cain and Abel. Violence continued and after the flood, God intervened and delegated to man the responsibility of governing other men to protect human life. The inability to self-govern is just as prevalent today—we are still bent on destroying one another as demonstrated by the passing of Proposal 3 which will greatly harm women and children by the eventual removal of the 41 laws designed to protect them. The 10 Commandments in the Old Testament were given to teach the people how love God and love others. These laws also showed the people that they couldn't keep the law perfectly thereby transgressing God's perfect standards. This demonstrated to them their need for a Savior. Before Jesus came, the positive reforms of kings like Hezekiah and Josiah, instituted laws that restored worship, accomplished good, and revealed God’s goodness. When government functions as it should with godly leaders at the helm, people follow and as a result God is glorified and people are blessed and protected. When Jesus came, man’s ability to self-govern was restored when God’s laws were written on man’s heart and interpreted by the Holy Spirit within. This was prophesized by Prophet Jeremiah, “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD (Jer 31:33-34). Herein lies the heart of the gospel, knowing God through Jesus Christ and receiving the forgiveness of sins for transgressing God’s perfect standards. The great preacher Charles Spurgeon reminds us: “The gospel has not come into the world to set aside the law. Salvation by grace does not erase a single precept of the law, nor lower the standard of justice in the smallest degree; on the contrary, as Paul says, we do not make void the law through faith, but we establish the law.” Just laws place a moral restraint on an individual’s activities. It is dangerous to live a life without a standard by which right and wrong is determined. We can exercise our freedom to challenge moral laws, even ignore them. But in doing so, it will come at a cost and we will experience the lingering consequences for generations to come. If a person feels there is no consequences for his actions, he won’t treat others justly. Even unbelievers understand this as explained in Romans 2:15: They demonstrate that God's law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right. A Christian has an even higher reason to obey the law--because he believes that he is accountable to God for his actions and just treatment of others. Therein lies the purpose of the law … making sure people are treated justly. Tilly Dillehay, in her article "Both Sides of Roe", profoundly explains how the hearts and minds of the people are affected by the law: "When Roe was struck down, more was accomplished than the erection of more hoops for abortion-minded mothers to jump through. It was a moral marker for our nation. Every time a human government makes or upholds legislation that reflects accurately the good established by God in his world and word, it functions the way it was meant to function. It sends a message about what is right and what is wrong. It establishes a moral code that does in fact work in the hearts of the people." The message sent by SCOTUS in overturning Roe v. Wade reminds us that when laws are unjustly made, we must take corrective action to preserve the dignity of human life. Our Declaration of Independence states, “All men are created equal.” The writers of this document knew that the concept of inalienable rights comes from God Himself and included the statement to ensure a way of life for us that respects the dignity of every individual. Human rights and equality come from the biblical idea that all people are created in the image of God. Therefore, we need to preserve this dignity by creating and preserving just laws that protect the unborn and the marginalized. From the earliest days of our nation, we have enforced laws to protect what belongs to the Lord—life, marriage, children, worship, and property. The absence of moral constraint will destroy our Constitution and eventually our lives. Rather than allowing our government to act unjustly by perpetuating evil and failing to protect life, let’s instead fulfill the law of Christ as stated Mark 12:28-31: “Which commandment is the most important of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The most important is, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.” Let's keep and pass laws that protect human life and preserve the dignity of one another. And let's not ignore these laws to our peril so that we can enjoy the abundant life Christ came to give us. NOTES Both Sides of Roe: My Own Journey from Death to Life by Tilly Dillehay, Desiring God Guest Contributor, January 21, 2023: Desiring God. Accessed January 21, 2023. The Law Written on the Heart by Charles Haddon Spurgeon, October 29, 1882, Scripture: Jeremiah 31:33 From: Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Volume 28. Accessed January 27, 2023. I have been president of BCRTL for one year. During the past year, I have had the privilege of seeing Roe v. Wade overturned. June 24, 2022, was a momentous day in the history of our nation. I am so grateful to the Lord that the U.S. Supreme Court justices did the right thing. After 50 years and 63 million babies lost, the opportunity to protect the youngest members of our nation has returned to the states, to ‘we the people.’ On the federal level, a great victory has been won, but on the state level, in Michigan, we are facing a battle of epic proportions. A battle that goes beyond what even Roe v. Wade legislated. A battle that will be determined by the votes of ‘we the people’.
The sponsors of Proposal 3, the Reproductive Freedom for All proposed constitutional amendment on the November 8th ballot, want you to believe this is a simple proposal that will give women rights. But if passed, 41 state laws that protect the health and safety of women and children will be gone! All 41 laws were allowed under Roe but will not be allowed under Proposal 3. Proposal 3 goes too far, is too extreme, and the language is too confusing. Women and children will be greatly harmed by this Proposal. If passed, Proposal 3 will affect everyone. Someone you know, a child, a friend, a neighbor, or a family member will be negatively affected by this Proposal. There are many alarming aspects of this Proposal, but the removal of parental consent is most concerning and grievous. Children can’t have their teeth pulled without mom and dad’s consent (and payment for the procedure), but under this Proposal, children will be allowed to make decisions regarding abortion and what gender they would like to be without mom or dad’s knowledge. Children--who need the guidance of their parents, and parents who have the right to guide their children, will not be allowed to do so under this Proposal. How did this happen? How did we let this get this far? How as a people would we allow our children and women be harmed by this Proposal? Proposal 3 breaks my heart, and it breaks my heart that we had to reach a crises point before we would speak out about it. It breaks my heart that many people are continuing ‘business as usual’ because they feel they won’t be affected by the Proposal. I wish it were true, but we are all going to suffer if Proposal 3 gets passed by ‘we the people’. Last month I was elected President of Berrien County Right to Life. Not only am I doing this volunteer work, but I also work part-time for a financial planner. Recently at one of his events, I met a lawyer and his wife who is a pediatrician. When I asked the lawyer what kind of law he practiced, this led to a conversation about my newly elected position. This was his response regarding my volunteering in the pro-life movement… now is not a good time to be doing that.
That’s comforting. As you may have heard, the Biden administration is suing Texas Right to Life over the state’s newly enacted heartbeat law. The lawyer was right, now is not a good time to be doing this. But I can’t help but wonder… if not now, then when? It’s curious to me when I tell people about my new position. They make comments about my being passionate for pro-life. Shouldn’t life be everyone’s passion? And shouldn’t we be passionate not only about the beginning of life, but also the end of life? And what about the in-between, for those who lives are marginalized? I can confidently say that I didn’t choose this position, but that the Lord called me to it. It reminds me of Queen Esther. She didn’t choose to be taken from her home into the king’s harem, nor did she choose to become queen, but God called her to it for “such a time as this…” (Uncle Mordecai’s famous words to her found in Esther 4:14). Why did he say this her? Because her people were going to be annihilated. Our people are being annihilated. How long do we continue in silence? If the time is not now, then when are we going to speak up? For such a time as this, now is the time to vote pro-life. Now is the time to contact senators and representatives speaking up for the voiceless. Now is the time to have conversations with family and friends. Now is the time to donate to pro-life movements and agencies. And now is the time to volunteer to help those in need… because if the time is not now, then when? Ps. 41:1 Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the Lord delivers them in times of trouble. NIV One life matters…
The price paid was high. On the cross He gave His life, so no one would die. One life matters… One life saved. One life that knows Jesus, is why He came and gave. One life matters… Significance is found. Child of the King, our identity no longer confound. One life matters… In His image we are made. Worth we are given; His love never fades. One life matters… A right we receive. Granted by our Creator, every breath we breathe. One life matters… The baby in the womb. Millions never born, instead they lay in tombs. One life matters… Dignity removed. The frail and the elderly, inherent value proved. One life matters… A person’s worth denied, when lives are taken, through assisted suicide. One life matters… The weak set aside. Much to offer, yet from them we hide. One life matters… Unable to speak. Voices not heard, yet we hear pain in unsaid words. One life matters… Let it not be taken it away but fight for life, and continue to pray. One life matters… The law needs to change. Will we vote pro-life or let culture arrange? One life matters… Will we fight to let them live? Or silent will we be, letting politics win? One life matters… Will we persevere? Or deny their rights, and live in fear? One life matters… Hearts broken and frayed. The fight is long, but we will not be dismayed. One life matters... The answer is found. In hearts that love Jesus--unified--life will abound. Because… One life matters. This poem was written by Jenny Cummings for the Annual Focus on Life Benefit Event held May 11, 2021 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Bridgman, MI. |
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