100 Days of Right Believing: Daily Readings from The Power of Right Believing by Joseph Prince
Authors: Joseph Prince
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Thought
No matter what I’ve done, no matter what happens, Jesus does not condemn me because He was condemned in my place at the cross. He forgives me and empowers me to “sin no more.”
Today’s Prayer
Lord Jesus, You are so worthy of my worship, so great a Savior are You! Thank You for taking my condemnation at the cross so that I can freely receive Your gift of no condemnation and be empowered to sin no more. I believe that no matter what happens, no matter what I’ve done, You do not condemn me, but You love me and freely forgive me. I choose to live by this truth and by Your words of assurance today. Amen!
“No Condemnation” Comes First
Today’s Scripture
“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
J OHN 3:17
Y esterday’s account of the woman caught in adultery demonstrates something very important. What enables someone to have the power to overcome sin? The threat of the law obviously didn’t stop the woman from committing adultery. But receiving Jesus’ acceptance—knowing that even though she deserved to be stoned to death, He did not condemn her—
that
gave her the power to “go and sin no more.”
Notice that Jesus saved the woman righteously. He didn’t say, “Don’t stone her. Show mercy to her.” What He said was, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” And on their own accord, the Pharisees and religious mob all left.
Notice also that Jesus did not ask the woman, “Why did you sin?” No, what He asked was, “Has no one condemned you?” It seems as if Jesus was more preoccupied with the
condemnation
of the sin than the sin itself. He made sure that she walked away not feeling the condemnation and shame. Let’s not reverse God’s order. When God says something comes first, it must come first. God says “no condemnation” comes first, and then you can “go and sin no more.”
Christian religion has it in reverse. We say, “Go and sin no more first, then we won’t condemn you.” What we need to understand is that when there is no condemnation, people are empowered to live victorious lives, lives that glorify Jesus. Grace produces an effortless empowerment through the revelation of no condemnation. It is unmerited and completely undeserved. But we can receive it—this gift of no condemnation—because Jesus paid for it at the cross.
Truth be told, none of us could have cast the first stone. We have all sinned and fallen short. In Christ, we are all on equal ground. If a brother orsister gets tangled in sin, our place is not to judge them, but to restore them by pointing them to the forgiveness and gift of no condemnation that are found in Jesus.
The only person who is without sin and who could have exercised judicial punishment on the woman was Jesus, and He did not. Jesus was in the flesh to represent what was in God’s heart. It wasn’t judgment. His heart is unveiled in His grace and His forgiveness. I like to say it this way when describing what happened as the Pharisees waited to stone the woman: The Pharisees
would
if they
could
, but they could not. Jesus could if He
would
, but He
would
not. That’s our Jesus!
Today’s Thought
God’s heart is unveiled in His grace and His forgiveness.
Today’s Prayer
Father, thank You that what Jesus did at the cross for me is so much greater and more wonderful than what I can ever imagine. Thank You for the gift of no condemnation and for Your undeserved favor because Jesus paid for it all at the cross. I believe that Your grace and forgiveness will empower me to live a life that glorifies You today. Amen.
God’s Perfect Law Perfectly Fulfilled
Today’s Scripture
And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it
No matter what I’ve done, no matter what happens, Jesus does not condemn me because He was condemned in my place at the cross. He forgives me and empowers me to “sin no more.”
Today’s Prayer
Lord Jesus, You are so worthy of my worship, so great a Savior are You! Thank You for taking my condemnation at the cross so that I can freely receive Your gift of no condemnation and be empowered to sin no more. I believe that no matter what happens, no matter what I’ve done, You do not condemn me, but You love me and freely forgive me. I choose to live by this truth and by Your words of assurance today. Amen!
“No Condemnation” Comes First
Today’s Scripture
“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
J OHN 3:17
Y esterday’s account of the woman caught in adultery demonstrates something very important. What enables someone to have the power to overcome sin? The threat of the law obviously didn’t stop the woman from committing adultery. But receiving Jesus’ acceptance—knowing that even though she deserved to be stoned to death, He did not condemn her—
that
gave her the power to “go and sin no more.”
Notice that Jesus saved the woman righteously. He didn’t say, “Don’t stone her. Show mercy to her.” What He said was, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” And on their own accord, the Pharisees and religious mob all left.
Notice also that Jesus did not ask the woman, “Why did you sin?” No, what He asked was, “Has no one condemned you?” It seems as if Jesus was more preoccupied with the
condemnation
of the sin than the sin itself. He made sure that she walked away not feeling the condemnation and shame. Let’s not reverse God’s order. When God says something comes first, it must come first. God says “no condemnation” comes first, and then you can “go and sin no more.”
Christian religion has it in reverse. We say, “Go and sin no more first, then we won’t condemn you.” What we need to understand is that when there is no condemnation, people are empowered to live victorious lives, lives that glorify Jesus. Grace produces an effortless empowerment through the revelation of no condemnation. It is unmerited and completely undeserved. But we can receive it—this gift of no condemnation—because Jesus paid for it at the cross.
Truth be told, none of us could have cast the first stone. We have all sinned and fallen short. In Christ, we are all on equal ground. If a brother orsister gets tangled in sin, our place is not to judge them, but to restore them by pointing them to the forgiveness and gift of no condemnation that are found in Jesus.
The only person who is without sin and who could have exercised judicial punishment on the woman was Jesus, and He did not. Jesus was in the flesh to represent what was in God’s heart. It wasn’t judgment. His heart is unveiled in His grace and His forgiveness. I like to say it this way when describing what happened as the Pharisees waited to stone the woman: The Pharisees
would
if they
could
, but they could not. Jesus could if He
would
, but He
would
not. That’s our Jesus!
Today’s Thought
God’s heart is unveiled in His grace and His forgiveness.
Today’s Prayer
Father, thank You that what Jesus did at the cross for me is so much greater and more wonderful than what I can ever imagine. Thank You for the gift of no condemnation and for Your undeserved favor because Jesus paid for it all at the cross. I believe that Your grace and forgiveness will empower me to live a life that glorifies You today. Amen.
God’s Perfect Law Perfectly Fulfilled
Today’s Scripture
And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it
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