Important Truth to Know – Every Church is Full of Sinners

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Every church is full of sinners a few of which are finger-pointers who love to call out the sins of others while attempting to hide their own.

It’s similar to what happened to the “woman caught in adultery.”…

[Jesus was teaching at the Temple], 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?”

John 8:3–5

This event was missing from some ancient manuscripts, leading many modern scholars to believe it was added later and should not be included. Others feel it was traditionally shared by scribes who finally added it a century after the original was written.

Whatever the case, I’m glad this powerful lesson has been shared in Scripture and believe it’s something the Lord wanted us all to know.

The next verse tells us this was another attempt to trap Jesus.

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.

John 8:6

And the Life Application Bible Notes explain it like this…

• The Jewish leaders had already disregarded the law by arresting the woman without the man. The law required that both participants in adultery be stoned. (Leviticus 20:10)
• If Jesus said the woman should not be stoned, they would accuse Him of violating Moses’ law.
• If He urged them to execute her, they would report Him to the Romans, who did not permit the Jews to carry out their own executions. (John 18:31)

Jesus, knowing their hearts and motives and that every “church” is full of sinners, responded with a pause and a thought-provoking comment…

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.

John 8:6b–8

Wouldn’t you love to know what Jesus wrote in the dirt?

Scripture doesn’t tell us, but some have speculated that He was writing the Commandments, sins committed by this group of men, or doodles giving them time to think.

Although we don’t know what He was writing, we do know that between Jesus’ words and actions, the religious leaders were forced to look inward, and when they did, they could no longer condemn this woman.

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.

John 8:9

And I believe that’s the point of this lesson.

The world is full of sinners worthy of punishment…

Everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 

Romans 3:23

But by God’s grace through Jesus, everyone is welcome into His presence…

 He died for everyone so that those who receive His new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

2 Corinthians 5:15

And as God’s children, we are to invite and welcome everyone into the family. We are all saved by grace through faith, and if our sins were made public, we all would drop our stones and hang our heads in shame.

Let’s pray…

A Prayer from a World Full of Sinners
to Our Gracious Forgiving God

Father God, please forgive me. I know I should faithfully come to you with humble repentance like the tax collector who said, “Lord be merciful to be, a sinner.” But too often, I’m guilty of being like the Pharisee who pridefully compares himself to others.

I am so sorry. Please forgive me. I am a sinner in a world full of sinners. I deserve Your punishment yet, come to You through faith in Jesus, asking for mercy and grace.

Please help me, Lord. Fill me with Your love. And enable me to realize the log in my eye before I point out the speck in someone else’s (Matthew 7:3).

We need You, Lord. I need You. Thank You for Your Word and for reminding me that I am a sinner who is completely dependent on You. I need Jesus. Thank you for sending Him to suffer my punishment.

By Your grace, please work in me and help me drop my stones before I foolishly judge other sinners like me. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

After the humbled religious leaders walked away…

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 8:10–11

That’s Jesus’ message to every sinner…

Repent of your sins and turn to God.

Matthew 4:17

It’s not our job to judge others, it’s our calling to love them and show them the blessing of SEEKing, KNOWing, LOVING, TRUSTing, and OBEYing God through faith in Jesus.

Yes, the church is full of sinners covered by God’s grace through Christ Jesus and called to share His love with a hurting world.

May the Lord bless us and help us drop our stones so we can glorify Him faithfully, sharing His truth in love.

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