How do You Respond to Sin in Others?

(Esther 1:15, 19 NIV) "According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?" he asked. "She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes that the eunuchs have taken to her." ... Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she.

The kings Advisors were quick to condemn or judge. She is guilty and should be punished. They suggested no other options but to punish and condemn. Sometimes, some of us are like that too. A person does something that was wrong, or we thought was wrong, and we immediately condemn, judge, or punish them.

(John 8:3-5 NIV) The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?"

When I read this story I see a similar response as we saw with the king’s advisors and Queen Vashti. She is guilty. The Law says she is to be stoned, so what do you say Jesus? They may be asking Jesus what does He think, but I don’t sense they’re looking for any other answer. They appear to have their minds made up. She is guilty, and needs to be stoned to death, end of discussion!

(John 8:6 NIV) They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

The death penalty was controversial in that day, just as it is today. If Jesus would take a side, He would alienate Himself against the other side. But even though they were looking to trap Jesus, they caught this woman in the act, and immediately thought about the penalty for this crime.

(John 8:7 NIV) When they kept on questioning Him, He straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."

When I read this verse, I see a different heart and spirit in Jesus than I did in the Jewish leaders and king’s advisors in the book of Esther. Jesus asks them who has the right to condemn or judge another person? Jesus taught us to pray "Forgive me Father, as I forgive others."

If we are going to be quick to declare, "Guilty. Prepare to pay the price and receive your judgement," then we are to be held to the same law. But none of us really want that to happen. None of us want to receive the just penalty for our actions. If we did, we’d all be in a lot of trouble. We all want to receive mercy and forgiveness. If we want to receive mercy and forgiveness, then we need to be quick to offer it to other people.

(Matt 7:1-5 NIV) "Do not judge, or you too will be judged For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults - unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging.

Don't condemn others, and God won't condemn you. God will be as hard on you as you are on others! He will treat you exactly as you treat them. You can see the speck in your friend's eye, but you don't notice the log in your own eye. How can you say, "My friend, let me take the speck out of your eye," when you don't see the log in your own eye? You're nothing but show-offs! First, take the log out of your own eye. Then you can see how to take the speck out of your friend's eye.

There may be some appropriate times to judge, but we need to be very careful when it comes to judging other people. First, we need to remember that how we judge other people, is how we will be judged. And second, when we see someone break a law, or do something wrong, we should stop and look inside ourselves and see if there is something God would like to change in us. We need to ask God if He allowed us to see it because we have a problem that He would like to address.

(John 8:11 NIV) "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

Jesus had two responses:

"I don’t condemn you." Jesus offered mercy and forgiveness instead of condemning or judging her.

After forgiving her, He did tell her to change her ways. His goal or desire is for us to repent or change our ways, not to punish us. He wants us to change so that He can have a closer relationship with us. This is the end result He is after.

(John 3:17 NIV) For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again.

God desires to do whatever it takes to restore relationships. It doesn’t matter what you, or anyone ever did, God wants to offer forgiveness and mercy and restore the broken relationship. If you are separated from God, you can restore your relationship with Him right now.

If there is a problem between you and another person forgive them, and try to have that relationship restored. Go to the person if you can, or [have your pastor] pray with you.