I Believe in the Forgiveness of Sins

Introduction

This morning we are going to deal with probably the most personal line of the Apostles’ Creed.

Through the Creed we confess our faith in the One God who eternally exists in three persons: Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

We’ve confessed our belief in the work of Jesus in coming as a human, suffering and dying in our place and being raised to life again on the third day.

We’ve declared our affirmation of one, universal, holy Church - God’s people from all time in every place.

But here at the conclusion of the creed there are some statements that deal with us.

Specifically they deal with our need, and our future.

Next week, we’ll conclude with looking at our future. But we have to first deal with our need.

That is, our problem that the whole Creed points to addressing.

Specifically it says “I believe… in the forgiveness of sins.”

That might be the most personal and most warm line in the whole Creed.

But it might be the line we don’t most easily believe.

Instead of taking us to a passage that examines the language and the technique of God’s forgiveness of us, I want us to see the example of his forgiveness.

I want us to feel or experience forgiveness.

I don’t want this truth that we confess—I believe in the “forgiveness of sins”—to be just something we say, but to be something we know and experience.

So we’re going to a story in John 8.

It’s an amazing story that says so much about our hearts.

Let’s look at it:

The Story

One thing I should say about this passage, is although it’s located here in our copies of the Bible, it’s very likely that John did not write it, but that someone added it later.

That being said, it says nothing that contradicts the rest of Scripture.

In fact, the story has every suggestion of historical reliability.

It was known in the early church and ended up in the Latin Vulgate by the 5th century.

I think it’s worthy of our meditation and consideration. It may in fact be a mirror for our hearts and reveal we believe should happen to sinners.

We could come to it like the scribes and Pharisees in the story and demand it’s eradication from our Bibles. Let’s try and kill it.

Our we could refuse to condemn it, and embrace the heart of Jesus for sinners.

Let’s embrace this as God’s Word!

Okay - the story…

So Jesus is in the temple and he’s teaching and a crowd is gathering.

Jesus is stilling because that’s how rabbis and teachers of the day taught.

As he’s teaching a group of scribes and Pharisees show up.

These were the experts on the Law—the Old Testament Scriptures.

They were the enforcers of the Law. They cared deeply about obeying God’s Word and practicing holiness in every way.

They were also significant enemies of Jesus - they despised that people were following him, that he wasn’t practicing their laws, that he was saying he was God!

So they show up with an issue for Jesus to address. Specifically a person.

They bring before him a woman and say

John 8:4 ESV

4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery.

Their language is legal language that says they have an airtight case.

The witnesses needed are confirmed… it’s an open and shut case.

But they don’t really care really about the woman, or about the sin she’s committed.

They want to see if they can trap Jesus.

So they put the issue before him:

John 8:5 ESV

5 Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?”

The Bible says that “such women” are to be killed by stoning (Deut 22:23-24)… so, Jesus, you who say that we should do?

The writers’ comment in verse 6 is insightful

John 8:6 ESV

6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.

They want to bring a charge against him.

If he says no, don’t kill her… then he’s out of step with God’s Word.

If he says yes, stone her then he’s advocating for Jewish leaders to carry out capital punishment, which was against the Roman law.

So it’s either go against God’s Law or the Government Law…

It’s a tense situation - what will Jesus say???

Jesus doesn’t say anything!

No, instead we read that he bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.

This is one of the mysteries of the text… what did Jesus write?

We have no clue, and I don’t want to speculate other than to suggest that Exodus 31:18 says that when God gave Moses the two tablets of the Law they were “written with the finger of God.”

Here, God incarnate, is writing with his finger displaying he is the source of all truth and justice and mercy.

The group continues to seek an answer for him and finally he speaks the famous words we know well:

“Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Jesus is pointing out their own hypocrisy and judgmental hearts.

Where is the man she was committing adultery with? Why isn’t he in trouble too?

Why didn’t they follow the Law that also says if you see some in sinning you should show compassion and speak up.

Who are the witnesses and why aren’t they saying anything?

They care nothing for this woman or her soul. They shame her publicly and look to discredit Jesus.

With that statement, Jesus bends down and continues to write… and wait for the response.

One by one the thud of rocks hitting the ground occurs.

The oldest teachers waiting to execute this woman are confronted with their own sin, drop the stones, and walk away.

As they do the rest come to the realization that they too are sinners, just as guilty, just a culpable.

And so they left

“And Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.”

The sinless Son of God and this poor sinner.

Jesus sees the woman, stands up from his position of teaching and asks her two questions.

John 8:10 ESV

10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

Everyone is gone, and are you not condemned?

She answers him “No one, Lord.”

There are no more accusers, no more to condemn her. Just Jesus before her.

His words back to her are some of the most precious words in the entire Bible.

English Standard Version Chapter 8

“Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.

Here is full grace and mercy on display for a sinner caught in the act.

Here’s Jesus’ heart toward you right this very moment!

The perfect, sinless, holy Lord and Savior says to her, “I don’t condemn you either” - although he would be perfectly just in doing so.

He’s the only one who could do so and he doesn’t!

This story is here to demonstrate to us the heart of Jesus for sinners.

He has come to to save sinners.

When we hear John 3:16 we should also pay attention to John 3:17

John 3:16–17 ESV

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Jesus’ words to this woman are words to us that display and reveal that:

Big Idea: Jesus forgives sins!

That one statement from Jesus says it all!

And I want you hear something important from Jesus.

He’s not just speaking to this woman caught in the act.

He’s speaking to anyone and everyone here today who needs a second chance… who needs forgiveness.

Is that you?

Do you desire to be cleansed and forgiven for your sins?

Do you want the guilt and shame of your life erased?

Do you want rescue from the curse of your failure?

Jesus forgives sins!

What does that mean? What do Jesus’ words here in verse 11 say to us and for us:

Three things...

Forgiveness requires the awareness of guilt

If we are to be forgiven then we must acknowledge and own up to our guilt, even if we are ashamed of it.

Let me ask you a question about this story, who is guilty of sin here?

EVERYONE!

Certainly the woman is guilty - she knows it, and she acts in awareness of her guilt.

She was caught in the act and there’s no denying it.

But she’s not the only guilty one here.

The scribes and Pharisees are guilty as well.

They are baiting a trap for Jesus - trying to condemn him.

They may have created the situation that they could ensnare this woman in.

They are filled with self-righteousness and pride and pretentious legalism.

Who walks away forgiven? Only the woman!

Sure the scribes and Pharisees dropped their stones when they discerned they were in no position to condemn this woman.

But none of them repented. None of them acted in contrition or sought reconciliation.

They may have known they were guilty, but there was not a true awareness that led them to seek forgiveness.

When we are aware we can act on it.

It’s the most annoying thing to me in my vehicle, but one of the best things… every 5000 miles my car pops up a message that it’s time for the vehicle to be serviced and the oil to be changed.

It’ll even count down the miles until I hit 5000 directly, or tell me how many miles over that I am.

That constant awareness is there to prompt to me get the car serviced so that it lasts.

Guilt is a mechanism to get us to seek forgiveness.

If you feel guilt then don’t try and curb that by justifying yourself or ignoring your need. Seek forgiveness from Christ!

R.C. Sproul put it this way:

What Can I Do with My Guilt? The Power of Forgiveness

The answer to guilt is always forgiveness. The only thing I know of that can cure real guilt is real forgiveness.

Jesus does that!

So when you feel guilty - go to Christ with your guilt.

Don’t hide in the bushes like Adam and Eve did.

Acknowledge your sin, be self-aware of your shame.

If you will go with your sin and shame and guilt to Christ - he will forgive you!

David reminds us in Psalm 32:5

Psalm 32:5 ESV

5 I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

If you will confess your sin to Jesus then you will experience what he says to this woman:

“Neither do I condemn you!”

That’s the second thing to see about forgiveness:

Forgiveness removes all condemnation

Jesus wipes the slate clean. He removes all condemnation.

His forgiveness is total and complete.

I DO NOT CONDEMN YOU!

If you’re really aware of your sin, and at that moment of being caught in the and all the shame is on your back, friends the good news is that when you’re forgiven, God holds nothing against you!

How can he say this?

Because he has stood in our place to remove the condemnation.

He’s satisfied justice and answered for our sins so that we will not be and can not be condemned.

This was done for us by his work of redemption.

Jesus, the eternal Son of God, humbled himself, became a human being

Philippians 2:8 ESV

8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

On that cross the great exchange was made where all our sin was transferred on him, and all his righteousness was accounted to us.

He cried out to his Father, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do”

And he died for us in order to forgive us!

So now, all those who have trusted in Christ are completely forgiven, seen by the Father as fully justified, and are at complete peace with God.

The guilt is removed!

Romans 8:1 ESV

1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Here’s where truth is so important for our hearts - because we may struggle to believe this.

The condemnation of our actions may still stand over us.

The condemnation of our hearts may still bring shame down on us.

But if you have trusted in and run to Christ for forgiveness the condemnation of God does not stand against you - and that’s really the voice that matters most.

Some of you may have this idea that one day your going to stand before God, and he’s going to air it all out.

All of your sin, all of your guilt, all of your shame.

He’s got his accountant angels sitting up in heaven carefully and in detail recording every wrong thought, action, attitude, motive: ALL OF IT.

And he’s going to bring out Jesus and point at the cross and like the uncle in Home Alone look at you and say “Look what you did you little jerk” and be very grumpy and annoyed with you for the rest of eternity… but begrudgingly let you get to live in Heaven.

You may think he knows how bad you are, and he’ll make sure you remember how bad you are....

Friends - that’s not forgiveness, that’s toleration.

Let’s remember who God is:

Micah 7:18–19 ESV

18 Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. 19 He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.

Friends if your sins are in the depths of the sea because of the work of Jesus Christ you can be assured God isn’t going to take a fishing trip to bring them up again!

Forgiveness is there for all who will come to him and acknowledge their need.

The Father is not bearing a grudge against you… he loves you!

There is no condemnation.

So draw near to him, know that he rejoices over you, he delights in you.

Your Father in Heaven is well pleased with you because of Christ.

Nothing shall separate you from his love.

Jesus does not condemn you!

But he does change you… and this is the last thing that Jesus says to the woman that we need to see:

Forgiveness renews a dead life

“From now on sin no more.”

Now Jesus is not saying, “go be perfect”

Don’t mess it up again, kid.

He is calling for a change in life, a new way of living.

That’s what forgiveness does and empowers.

Where things were broken and destroyed and dead and dead, forgiveness brings life and transformation.

This woman is challenged to live out of the forgiveness she has received by Christ.

She was a dead woman walking as the brought her up to Jesus - she had the death sentence hanging over her.

But Jesus forgave her - he did not condemn her, so now there’s now death sentence, only a new life in front of her.

Freedom and forgiveness brings about a new life that’s transformed.

Forgiveness isn’t a blank check to go and live however you’d like and keep sinning because “God forgave me”

That’s cheap grace.

Forgiveness is a new start that is displayed in a new life.

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

It’s often the story of Les Miserables that comes to mind when I think about how forgiveness changes us.

If you remember Jean Valjean is a thief… and his stealing gets him in trouble.

Until he steals from the wrong person - a local priest who has shown him kindness and hospitality at his lowest moments.

He steals the silver in the priest’s home and makes a run for it only to be caught by the authorities and brought back to the priest to verify his crime.

Instead of condemning him and sending him to life in prison, the priest shows mercy and forgives him… even more he blesses him with more and more silver.

What is the result?

Valjean’s life is completely changed and he leaves behind his old ways and becomes a new man of mercy and compassion.

Honor is restored!

That’s what happens in those who are forgiven - a new life emerges.

That’s what Jesus calls us to.

“Go and sin no more”!

Conclusion

Have you been forgiven of your sin?

Have you received the work that Jesus has done on your behalf!

Then live in the new reality you have -

You are not condemned if you are in Christ!

You are enabled and empowered to leave behind your old life and to walk in new life.

Are you guilty - Jesus forgives sins!