The Words of Jesus

Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said..."Neither do I condemn thee; go and sin no more."

 

The guilty sinner to whom He speaks this comforting "word," was frowned upon by her accusers.  But, if others spurned her from their presence, "Neither do I condemn thee."  Well it is to fall into the hands of this blessed Saviour-God, for great are His mercies.

 

Are we to infer from this that He winks at sin?  Far from it.  His blood, His work refute the thought!  But this "word of Jesus" is a word of tender encouragement to every sincere, broken-hearted penitent...that crimson sins, and scarlet sins, are no barriers to a free, full, everlasting forgiveness.  "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners."

 

Reader, you may be the chief of sinners or the chief of backsliders; your soul may have started aside like a broken bow.  As the bankrupt is afraid to look into his books, you may be afraid to look into your own heart.  You are hovering on the verge of despair.  Conscience, and the memory of unnumbered sins, are uttering the desponding verdict, "I condemn thee."  Jesus has a kinder word - a more cheering declaration - "I condemn thee not: go, and sin no more!" 

 

--John Ross Macduff, The Words of Jesus