I'm a bit confused here.

There are a couple of things in this passage I'd like to look at.  First is how Jesus deals with those who are trying to play "gotcha!".  I think we can learn from His example. 

John 8:2-11(NKJV)

Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. 

Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 

they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. 

Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” 

This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.

In other words Jesus ignored them.  He didn't take the bait.  He didn't reflexively respond and start defending the Bible or anything.  I think we can learn from that. 

The second thing here is what I am a bit confused about.
 

So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” 

And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 

Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 

When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”

She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

Here is where my confusion lies.  I don't see anywhere that she asked forgiveness or had a change of heart.  I have written a couple of times lately about whether we need to say specific words to be saved or if it is more of simply a change of heart issue as Jesus seems to say.  But in  this case I don't see either?

So when we get down to judgement day is Jesus just going to let everyone slide and let everyone in to Heaven?  Hmm. 

Character of God

So I am heading down this path.  A Word study on the character of God. 

A while back I found Scripture that said God is…. And then followed with different words throughout the book.  God whispered to me "if you want to understand my character this might be a good place to start." 

I found around 40 words used to describe God.  So what I am going to do now is to start studying those words.  The first word is wise.  The word wise is used once.  There are 197 instances of the word wise in the Bible.  Here is what jumps out at me so far.

Here is an example.

" 15So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and knowledgeable men, and made them heads over you, leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, leaders of tens, and officers for your tribes."

When looking to establish leadership over the tribes of Israel the Bible always tells them to look for wise people.  Not average people.  Not poor people.  Wise people. 

In addition Proverbs tells us over and over that we should seek wisdom.  So God is wise and it is a characteristic that He wants us to pursue in our own lives. 

Seems like sound advice to me.

What is the work of God?

John 6:29(NKJV)

Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

There are a lot of people out there who believe that they will be saved because they are "good people".  They claim they are doing the work of God by caring for the poor etc. and they believe that a loving God wouldn't send them to hell because they are "good people". 

Unfortunately that isn't what Scripture said.  Jesus says point blank that the "work of God" starts with believing in Jesus.  Without that belief in Jesus it is impossible to do the "work of God".  Caring for the poor etc are good and worthy deeds but without Jesus they aren't the work of God.

Seeking God's guidance is so cool! - a personal testimony

I am seeking God's guidance on some new direction and I thought I'd share that experience with you.  I just find it so cool how God will guide our individual lives if we will simply ask Him for that guidance…and actually listen to it when we get it.  :)

I have been keeping a personal Bible journal for almost a decade.  It will be 10 years in August if I remember correctly.  The last 4 and a half years of that in a very public way through this Common Christian blog.

My methodology is that I read one chapter of the OT and one chapter of the NT a day and then just write about what God taught me that day.  Pretty simple.  By following that pattern over my lifetime I have lost count of how many times I have read the Bible all the way through which brings me to my point of this post.

I just finished Malachi.  Time to start over at Genesis 1.  However a few days ago I asked God if it was time for a change?  One of the things I have often wanted to do is go more in depth but God kept saying just stick to the pattern.  So I did.

What is interesting is that this time when I asked the question I got a different answer.  God seems to be saying, OK, you were obedient and you learned the things I wanted you to learn by sticking to the pattern, NOW it is time to go deeper.

Interesting.  Now I am just waiting on further guidance on which path to take.  I have several book ideas that I would like to do the in depth Bible research on.  Let me list a few of them.

The character of God-I once did a search on the phrase "God is" as a place to start learning about the character of God.  There are around 40 words.  I would love to take the time to go in depth on each of the 40 words.  What I can tell you already is that there is one word that is used to describe God more times than any other.  It isn't even close.  And I can almost guarantee you it isn't the word that you think.  It isn't love.  The word is……you'll have to read the book.  :) 

The Saintly Poor-I am interested in the dynamic in play between a "just God", "the benefits of being a Christian", and the belief in the "saintly poor".  The apparent belief in Christianity that the poor are entitled to all of the benefits of being a Christian without having to be one.

Is a magic incantation really needed?-in other words what does it take to really be saved?  Does it really have to be said and done in a certain way?  Believe in our hearts and say with our mouths……..  Now as you know I am a big fan of being saved.  That is why I write.  I want all who hear and want to receive Jesus to be saved. 

But the question I have is that when I read and compare what Jesus said on the subject to what is written in the NT by others there is a bit of a discrepancy in my opinion.  With Jesus it seems to be simply a heart issue, no magic incantation needed.  The word part seems to me at least to be a human (dare I say Pharisee like) addition after the fact. 

It's nothing that challenges my faith or anything.  I would just like to study it a little deeper.  I find it interesting.

Now what will be fun is to see where God directs me.  Will it be to one of the three things that I have mentioned or something totally new that I never thought of but God did?  Time will tell. 
I wouldn't be surprised if it is something that I haven't thought of yet because God is good at that.  I can't tell you how many times that has happened on this blog.  I set out to write one thing but as I started typing God directed my thoughts in an entirely different direction.  :)

BTW, does God guide your life as thoroughly as this?  Would you like Him to?  Would you like to experience the peace that surpasses all understanding of having God directing things?  It is simply a choice on your part.

It starts with choosing to ask Jesus to lead your life.  Have you done that yet?  If not, why not right now?  Just have a conversation with Jesus.  "Dear Jesus…."

Could this be a warning to those who say Christians and Muslims worship the same God?

As I have written many times, I don't believe that Christians and Muslims follow the same God.  I think these verses could well be a warning to those who claim that we do follow the same God. 

Malachi 2:11-12(NKJV)

    Judah has dealt treacherously,     And an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem,     For Judah has profaned     The Lord’S holy institution which He loves:     He has married the daughter of a foreign god.

    May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob     The man who does this, being awake and aware,     Yet who brings an offering to the Lord of hosts!

The most direct Scripture refuting Kumbaya Jesus

I have written many times about the mistaken belief in Kumbaya Jesus.  The belief that Jesus takes a live and let live attitude towards those who reject Him.  Here is the most direct Scripture I have found to refute that. 

John 3:36(NKJV)

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

Notice exactly what it says.  He who does not believe in Jesus earns the wrath of God.  Not live and let live.  Not sit around the campfire singing kumbaya with Jesus after they reject Him.  Nope.  They earn the wrath of God.  Or as another Scripture puts it, they have declared themselves enemies of God at the point that they reject Jesus.

I didn't say that, God did! 

A commentary on what goes on in the world today?

Malachi 2:17(NKJV)

    You have wearied the Lord with your words;      Yet you say,     “In what way have we wearied Him?”     In that you say,     “Everyone who does evil     Is good in the sight of the Lord,     And He delights in them,”     Or, “Where is the God of justice?”