Salvation for an Adulterer

Ephesians 6:17 Take the helmet of salvation…(NIV)

            Jesus was not like the religious leaders of His time who paraded around as Holy, but lived anything but. He lived by example and taught others the secrets to the kingdom of God. His mission was to offer hope to the lost, restoration to the outcast, healing to the ill, and life to the dead. He ate with the sinners, met in secret with the fearful, showed love to the children, and offered forgiveness to those deserving punishment. One of these people who received such forgiveness was a woman caught in the act of adultery. 

            God had given Moses the Ten Commandments that the Children of Israel were to abide by. Additional ordinances were given as well, but the ten summed up all of them. For someone found guilty of breaking the commandments, punishment was set in place to remind them that God required a life of holiness. Adultery was one of those commands that if found guilty would result in the stoning of both parties involved. Leviticus 20:10 “If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife – with the wife of his neighbor – both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death.” (NIV) The religious leaders sought to find a way to entrap Jesus. They felt threatened by Him and plotted His demise. However, Jesus never played into their hands, but it didn’t stop them from trying. John 8:3-5 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” (NIV) Jesus read their hearts and knew that their interests were not of good, but to entangle him into a trap. 

            Jesus said nothing at first, but began to write on the ground. However, they persisted with their line of questioning almost demanding an answer. Therefore, Jesus did not tell them not to throw stones, but he told them that if any of them was without sin, they could be the first to throw a stone. This wasn’t the response that they had expected. The hypocrisy of their own lives came to light at that very moment. Every one of them left. 

            Jesus then asked the woman where were her accusers. She replied that there weren’t any. Jesus let her know that he too did not accuse her and to go and sin no more. Jesus offered forgiveness and salvation even though she was indeed guilty. He set the example of what his true purpose was on earth and that was to offer himself as a sacrificial lamb for the salvation of a guilty world. 

            The Apostle Paul lets us know that we must take hold of the helmet of salvation. That salvation is through none other than Jesus Christ. Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. (NIV) Salvation is a free gift. Jesus took on our debt and put us in the clear. The price for our sins would have been impossible for us to pay ourselves. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NIV) As a warrior for Christ, we must tell the world about the saving grace of God. We are to show them that Jesus saves because He first saved us, and if He could change us, He will do the same thing for them. Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. (NIV) Never be afraid to let this dying world know that Jesus saves. It is through our testimony that we can help others defeat the devil and become victorious through Christ. Revelation 12:11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word and by the word of their testimony, they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. (NIV)