Christ, the Sinners' Friend

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He
has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the
oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" (Luke 4:18, 19).

The four Gospels tell many encouraging stories of Christ's friendship with the distressed and
brokenhearted. As we read these inspired accounts, we see how great is God's kindness as
revealed through Christ, and the impression is left on our hearts that we may safely go to Him in
every time of need, confidently expecting to find help. Jesus also offers us His companionship,
which takes the coldness and loneliness out of our lives and brings us peace. He has everything
that we desire and need, but it is His divine love and kindness that appeal most to us. He
declares:

"I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness" (Jeremiah 31:3; see
also John 8:1-11).

Jesus is a "friend who sticks closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24). We see this in one
scene after another in His ministry as He assists the friendless and fearful.

CHRISTBEFRIENDSAWOMANTAKEN INADULTERY
We turn now to the Gospel of John and watch as Christ befriends an adulterous woman who had
been openly exposed by the Pharisees.

"He [Jesus] appeared again in the temple courts where all the people gathered around him, and he
sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in
adultery. . . . Jesus . . . asked her, 'Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?' 'No one,
sir,' she said. 'Then neither do I condemn you,' Jesus declared. 'Go now and leave your life of sin' "
(John 8:2, 3, 10, 11).

This experience took place in connection with the annual Feast of Tabernacles when Jesus
was in Jerusalem on one of His frequent visits. While He was teaching the people in the temple,
the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him this unfortunate woman who was taken in adultery
—"caught in the act" (John 8:4).
She was a great sinner before God, but the malice and bigotry of these Jewish leaders who
knew so much more about God's requirements, made their sin even more offensive. They were
jealous of Christ and tried to find some complaint against Him so that they could accuse Him of
going against either of the laws of Moses or the laws of the Romans. In this case, if Jesus had
suggested that the woman be stoned as Moses' law required, He would have been in conflict with
the Roman authorities.

In this experience, Jesus tried to reach the hearts of both the Pharisees and the adulterous
woman herself, seeking to lead all concerned to repentance. He proved to be a friend, first to the
proud and self righteous, and second to the downcast and fallen. But only the adulterous woman
responded to His love.
Jesus knew that the sins of these hypocritical men who had brought the woman to him
included acts of impurity, yet in great kindness He refused to expose them as they had exposed
her. Stooping down, He began to write on the ground, and the words which they read there
condemned them. Looking up, Jesus said:

"If any of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her" (John 8:7).

One by one, these religious leaders slipped away. As the trembling woman stood before
Jesus, expecting at any moment to be stoned, she heard His tender voice ask:

" 'Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?' 'No one, sir,' she said. 'Then neither do I
condemn you,' Jesus declared. 'Go now and leave your life of sin' " (John 8:10, 11).

The Pharisees had nothing but contempt and scorn for this erring woman, but Jesus spoke
words of comfort and caution to her. He did not excuse her sin, and neither did He say anything
to lessen Her sense of guilt. But He spoke words of pardon that lifted the torturing burden of
reproach and shame from her soul. His words, "Neither do I condemn you," brought peace to her
troubled heart. The redemption of this poor soul was a greater miracle than the healing of an
epileptic or a leper. Sin is a moral disease that can be rebuked only by the touch of the sinner's
Friend (see Isaiah 1:4-6, 16-20). Sin brings nothing but guilt and remorse, but if we will confess
our sins to Jesus and put them away, we may go free in His pardoning love.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

This forgiveness which God gives us includes more than simply pardon for our sins. It also
brings us power to keep from sinning. He "is able to keep you from falling" (Jude, verse 24, see
also Romans 6:11, 12; Hebrews 7:25). True religion is not simply an ambulance at the foot of a
precipice to pick up those who have fallen over—it is a fence at the top to prevent them from
falling in the first place.
Both pardon for sin and the power to keep from falling are gifts of God which we are to
receive by faith. This is the fuller meaning of forgiveness. How beautifully this is illustrated by
Christ's words to this woman, "Neither do I condemn you. . . . Go now and leave your life of sin"
(John 8:11). It was His purpose that from this point on in her experience she should live a pure
and sanctified life. And that is His plan for every Christian.