John 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?

If you are not familiar with the woman caught in adultery and Jesus saving her from being stoned, please read John chapter 8. It has been taught many times. I have heard it many times. There is one thing that seems to slip thru the cracks in those teachings however.

Jesus changed the atmosphere before the woman was saved.

What is the atmosphere in your church? Do you see sin in others and are concerned for their salvation or does their sin change your ability to forgive? I dare say when people see sin in others, that sin was not committed against them. Those accusers in John 8:10 were not sinned against.

They did however have something in common with many people who see sin. There is the fear that if they do not punish sin they will be seen as approving of it. That is a real problem in our modern churches. How do we deal with the pride of sin being flaunted in our midst?

First we must recognize that we were convicted of our own sins first and turned and walked away from them in an atmosphere of repentance. That was not done in an atmosphere of condemnation. Nor is it done in an atmosphere of approval. Conviction of sin comes from the power of the Holy Spirit preparing a heart to receive the gospel. The stone in the hand of the accusers was judgement.

Jesus, the head of this body, changed the atmosphere first. He did so that condemnation is not the reason for repentance but rather Holy Spirit conviction.