How does John 8:11 connect with Romans 6:1-2 on sin and grace? Setting the Stage John 8 opens with religious leaders dragging a woman caught in adultery before Jesus. They want judgment; Jesus writes in the dust, exposes their hypocrisy, and, when the accusers melt away, speaks directly to the woman: “No one, Lord,” she answered. “Neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Now go and sin no more.” (John 8:11) Two Phrases to Hold Together • “Neither do I condemn you”—pure grace • “Go and sin no more”—call to holiness Paul’s Echo in Romans 6:1-2 “What then shall we say? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase? Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin live in it any longer?” How the Passages Interlock • Same sequence: grace first, obedience next – John 8: grace (“Neither do I condemn”) → command (“sin no more”) – Romans 6: rhetorical question about abusing grace → emphatic refusal (“Absolutely not!”) • Both insist grace does not excuse sin but empowers freedom from it. • Both place identity before behavior: – Woman is released from condemnation; new life must follow. – Believers are “dead to sin”; therefore continued sin contradicts who we are. Grace That Trains Us Scripture consistently pairs saving grace with transforming power: • Titus 2:11-12: “The grace of God… trains us to renounce ungodliness.” • Ephesians 2:8-10: saved by grace, created for good works. • 1 John 3:6: those abiding in Christ do not keep on sinning. Living the “No Condemnation” Life • Receive the verdict—no condemnation (Romans 8:1). • Rely on the Spirit’s power to “put to death the deeds of the body” (Romans 8:13). • Reflect Christ’s character in daily choices (1 Peter 1:15-16). Grace is a door out of judgment and into holiness. Jesus and Paul speak with one voice: forgiven people live forgiven lives. |
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