Subject One Hundred Five

THE NEED OF THE SINNER

Scripture: John 8:1-11, 24, 34, 36

1. A sinful woman
   1. When the Lord was in the temple, those supposedly moral people brought an immoral woman to the Lord Jesus to question Him.
   2. Woman represents man’s position before God. Man’s position before God is that of a woman.
   3. The greatest sin of a woman is adultery. Adulterous means impure. Man’s greatest sin before God is that man is impure before God. Man lusts for many things other than God. So, spiritually speaking, all men (women) have committed adultery. This immoral woman represents all of us who have sinned.
2. All have sinned
   1. Those supposedly moral people only saw that the woman sinned, but they did not see that they were just like her. Because they did not know themselves, they brought the woman to Him and questioned Him. They did not realize that their condition was exactly the same as the woman’s, and therefore, that they were actually bringing themselves before the Lord for judgment.
   2. They said that according to the law such a woman must die. But they asked the Lord, “What then do you say?” They were trying to put the Lord on the spot. But the Lord’s answer shut their mouths: “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” The Lord’s words were a judgment upon them. In essence He was saying, “You saw this woman committing adultery. But have you seen that before God you are committing the same sin?” Those who heard the Lord’s words were judged by the Lord.
   3. The Lord’s words touched their conscience. Each one of them acknowledged that he was a sinner by walking away, beginning with the older ones until the last. This indicates that both the condemned one (the woman) and those who were condemning were all sinners. Not only those who commit outward sins are sinners, but also those who do not. Not only those immoral ones are sinners, but also those who are moral. Not only the ones being judged in a court are sinners, but also the judge. Not only the lawbreakers are sinners, but also the lawmakers and the law enforcers. Not only the troublemakers are sinners, but also those who keep the law and order. Not only the defenders are sinners, but also the prosecutors. Not only those who steal are sinners, but also those from whom things are stolen.
3. There is only One who never sinned
   1. After the Lord said, “He who is without sin...,” everybody went away. There was only one left—the Lord Jesus.
   2. The Lord did not walk away because He never sinned and He could not sin.
   3. So only the Lord is qualified to condemn others.
4. The Lord would not condemn man for his sins
   1. Those who tried to condemn others were exposed by the Lord. They were sinners themselves. How could they, then, condemn others?
   2. Although the Lord never sinned and was qualified to condemn others, He did not condemn man for his sin because He came to this world in order to save man from sin.
   3. The Lord did not condemn man for his sin because He bore man’s sins on the cross. He is the righteous God. According to His righteousness, He should have condemned man for his sin.
   4. Because He bore man’s sins on the cross, He does not condemn man for his sins; rather, He saves man from sin.
5. The Lord can deliver man out of sin
   1. That day the Lord not only told the woman, “Neither do I condemn you,” but also said, “From now on sin no more.” He wanted her to be delivered out of sin.
   2. In the following passage the Lord said, “Everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.” If a man does not believe in Him, he shall die in his sins.
   3. The Lord also said that only He can set people free. That is the real freedom. So the Lord can deliver man from sin.
6. How to obtain forgiveness and deliverance from sin
   1. Confess that you are a sinner.
   2. Believe that the Lord is the great “I Am.” “I Am” means God.
   3. Believe that the Lord is God coming as our Savior. By the Lord’s shed blood we obtain forgiveness; by God’s coming into us as our life, we are delivered from sin.