“Neither do I condemn thee, go and sin no more” (John 8:11). This is grace speaking as grace speaks, saying not one thing but two. Grace announces forgiveness with no condemnation, but it also announces divine energy for a new start. We need not return to the old ways. Grace forgives but also offers victory over sin. This we must never forget. This is why Paul asked, “Shall we continue in sin that grace might increase?” The answer is a resounding “No”. When one wants forgiveness without a new way of living, they reveal a heart that lives for sin and not one that lives for the One who graciously forgave.
You are reading from the devotional book “Growing Toward Maturity”, by H. Lamar Smith.
