Sometimes, fear and anxiety flow only from our frightening circumstances, disconcerting situations that are out of our control. But sometimes, they are rooted in secret sin. Because we are all born sinners into a world filled with sinners, it is essential that we understand the connection between sin and fear, and discover God's remedy for both.
Habitual sin not only weighs us down with anxiety because we fear getting caught, but it also brings deep shame to our hearts. We are acutely embarrassed by moral failure; it taints every aspect of our lives, many to the point of despair.
In this lesson, we read the account of a woman whose secret sin was exposed, and we see Jesus' response to her. As Jesus interacts with this woman, we hear the words of freedom that we have yearned for and find the solution which frees us from our fear-producing secret sins. Let's study this scripture together for the answer that is found nowhere else and through no one else.
“Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 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. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” John 8:2-11
Here we see Jesus at the Temple, early in the morning, teaching the people. Then abruptly, the spiritual and emotional temperature of the gathering changed when the scribes and Pharisees appeared and cast a terrified woman guilty of adultery before Jesus and demanded His ruling. Pharisees and scribes were the religious leaders in Jesus' day who claimed to be devoted to keeping the Law of Moses. Under the guise of honoring Jesus as "Teacher" but really trying to trap Him, they said:
“Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say? This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him.” John 8:4-5
With startling and calculated disregard for the Law they proclaimed to uphold, these scribes and Pharisees failed when they presented only the woman; the Law required judgment for both the adulterer and adulteress. With legalistic pride, these men rushed from naming the woman’s sin to highlighting the penalty for being found guilty under Old Covenant Law - death by stoning. Without hesitation, they demanded Jesus’ immediate determination, revealing the evil intent in their hearts.
Let us consider the situation of this accused woman. A puppet in the Pharisees’ evil plans, she was nameless and scorned as one of “such women.” Her sinful behavior had been spied upon by others and broadcast widely to intensify her fallen state.
She stood in terror before her accusers with nowhere to hide, guilty, and exposed to condemnation by man and God. She was frozen in a prison of shame; her guilty conscience weighed down with fear.
Seemingly helpless to escape her sin and shame, this woman's sin of lust trumpeted her guilt in her own soul (Ephesians 4:18-19) and to those around her. She probably assumed that her fellow townspeople and the religious leaders would soon be picking up stones, like a firing squad, to execute the punishment she deserved.
But instead, we see a different outcome with Jesus unfolding the gospel in action and word as He bent down and wrote on the ground. In this blessed silence and intentional act, Jesus magnified the sinfulness and guilt of every man and woman present, while at the same time showcasing His spectacular mercy and grace. Jesus' compelling words pricked each heart:
“Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:7
In the face of this invitation, the scribes and Pharisees departed one by one, unable to pass the test. The stones of their legalism and judgment dropped submissively to the ground as they acknowledged their sinfulness.
The woman before Jesus did not move, held transfixed and captivated by this unexpected turn of events. Her panic and terror of punishment were melted and washed away in an ocean of holy tenderness which she had never before known.
When Jesus asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” (John 8:10), the weight of fearful condemnation was lifted, and she replied in a marveling voice, acknowledging Jesus as her Lord:
“No one, Lord.”
And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” John 8:11
Jesus could, with authority, speak these words of mercy to this woman and set her free because, in just a short time, He would go to the cross and take the condemnation of her sin upon Himself. He, Himself, would be surrounded by His own accusers. Many plotted His destruction from the moment of His birth (Matthew 2:16-18), throughout His sinless life (John 8:56-59; John 10:27-36) and thought they had succeeded through His death by crucifixion:
“Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.13 Roaring lions that tear their prey open their mouths wide against me.” Psalm 22:12-13 NIV
Hatred, spit, and venomous words were hurled against Jesus as He stood in the courts of the religious leaders charged with "blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God." (John 10:33) and the Romans charged with insurrection (Luke 23:1-2; Luke 23:5). Pilate brought down his final judgment paradoxically, demanding the crowd turn their attention to Jesus: "Behold the man" (John 19:5)… "Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him." (John 19:6). Despite this unmistakable declaration of Jesus' innocence, He was handed over to have His back scourged with a multi-lashed whip containing embedded pieces of bone and metal, which had the purpose of removing the skin from a criminal's back before their murder at the cross to increase suffering. Jesus was without sin yet crucified as a criminal, that we who are clearly guilty would be justified.
“I gave My back to those who beat Me, and My cheeks to those who tore out My beard. I did not hide My face from scorn and spitting.” Isaiah 50:6 HCSB
Jesus was completely innocent but chose to accept this monumental punishment out of love for us, to die and rescue us from our inherited sinful nature, imputed with the guilt of Adam’s original act of rebellion (Romans 5:12).
“Christ himself suffered for sins once. He was not guilty, but he suffered for those who are guilty to bring you to God.” 1 Peter 3:18 NCV
The deep fear we carry of having our sin exposed before God and others is appropriate. We know we are guilty, and we rightly dread suffering the punishment we deserve (Romans 6:23). But, in love, Jesus silenced our accusers forever by refusing to condemn us and, instead, dying in our place, setting us free to live the new life He has purchased for us with His own blood.
Jesus was nailed to the cross, demonstrating the spectacular magnitude of His everlasting love and forgiveness. Throughout all time, the blood of Jesus speaks peace, rest, and reconciliation from the cross of Christ: “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1)
Hear the wonderfully good news from the Word of God for you:
God proved His love for us in that while we were still sinners, His only Son died for us (Romans 5:8).
Through living a life free of sin and laying down His life as the only acceptable sacrifice for sin, Jesus met every strict moral and ceremonial requirement of the Law of the Old Mosaic Covenant (Matthew 5:17-18) and mediated a New Covenant of grace for us (Hebrews 9:15).
Through grace, God clothed each guilty sinner with the garments of Christ's perfect righteousness (Isaiah 61:10). All who believe were made wholly acceptable to God, our lives eternally beating with a new spiritual heart in communion with our Father God.
Through Jesus' condemnation in our place, we were justified by His blood (Romans 5:9).
“No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the Lord.” Isaiah 54:7 NKJB
"Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us." Romans 8:33-34