Are We Without Sin?

Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”
They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.
When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn't even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” (John 8:1-11)

Sadly, there are countless times I have talked with one who would be considered the adulteress in this story and the church as a whole seems to still have the same attitude the Pharisees did. I myself have judged others based on their actions and this is something I'm still learning not to do. I believe we are not supposed to judge anyone, especially those outside the church. (Matthew 7:1-5) The only time I think it is acceptable is when you are teaching people how to live right in the context of the church. This should be an uplifting and encouraging thing to the one you are teaching and it should be done by those who have been through those struggles and overcome, for I believe that has the most power for change in others. (What I am talking about is what is done at the individual level, not in the context of teaching or preaching.)

Jesus says we will be judged by him with the measure we judge with. That is a scary thought. He taught us not to judge because none of us are without sin, so none of us have that right. Only he does and he taught us for our own benefit because the more we judge others, the more he will judge us.

I believe it is far better for us to look into our own selves and seek to make that right with the Lord, instead of looking outside ourselves to others and trying to make them right. We only have the power to change ourselves, not others, but doing so is shameful isn't it? It is not a fun thing to look at ourselves and realize how messed up we are, but the truth is, if we do not do this, we will never get better. When we decide to do this we realize how desperately we need Christ and we become humble. It is in this humility and seeking of self improvement that we have the most power for change over others.

When we have an attitude of humility in sharing our lives with others, they will be more likely to listen to what we have to say. When others understand where we have been, that we are just as lost without Christ as they are, and they understand that we are sharing from a place of love in looking at our own lives and not pointing out their stuff, they begin to listen. They already know we aren't perfect and that is why many get angry with the church because we pretend that we do have everything together when we really do not.

We need to stop being afraid to face ourselves, therefore, looking to others so as to hide our own insecurities. We should stop ignoring our own stuff and putting others down so we feel better about ourselves. We need to let go of our pride and admit we are still sinners in need of a Saviour every day. We must look to ourselves first, then look to Christ for the desperate help that we need. Only when we first do that will we be effective in helping others improve themselves and we will instead be doing it out of love for them, which is how it should be done.

None of us are without sin, so let us put down our stones.