A False Accuser?

In the book of John chapter 8, from the first verse, JESUS was confronted by “law-abiding” folks who had apprehended a “culprit.”  A woman of low virtue was caught having an erotic sexual time with someone she was not legally married to. Her judged immoral behavior was up for accusation and to be subjected to judgment by the cultural laws of her society.A crowd of judgmental folks had quickly gathered around her. She became a subject of ridicule. The crowd got ready with stones to make sure she was publicly executed as consequence of her unguarded violation. But just before enforcing the punishment for her sin, the crowd of accusers sought JESUS’ point of view on the common law that was instituted by the long-expired forefather Moses.

Led by religious leaders who secretly longed for indirect or direct reasons to implicate JESUS under the same laws, the crowd was moved and surreptitiously constituted to become both witnesses as well as jury, that would equally accuse and condemn JESUS. The woman that was caught red-handed became a bait to lure JESUS into a trap. They made ready to use JESUS’ own words as basis to extend accusations and judgment to him too.

Had JESUS not been discerning and tactful enough, he would have fallen into their trap and temptation. JESUS knew better. He understood that many people have insatiable appetite to accuse others, rightly or falsely. He knew that many folks love to hide their own lack of discretion while beaming inglorious light on unchecked infractions by others. JESUS knew how much most people seek hurt and damages to others while making sure their own inglorious secrets and sinful habits are perfectly hidden from same laws, for judgment.

It is so easy and convenient to point accusatory fingers at others. It can be so callously satisfying to expose others, or someone else, to public disgrace while securing a bright spot for personal righteousness, giving subtle attention to self-lifting and self-elevation.

JESUS did not waste anytime before beaming uncomfortable spiritual light back at those who would stop at nothing to put another in jeopardizing spotlight, for destruction. He took attention off their target for a moment. He demanded that the crowd had self-inspection too. How many of them would have been condemned if their secret violations were publicly revealed too? He demanded that anyone who had not violated the laws, natural or physical, in one form or another, should cast the first stone. Fortunately, the folks were sincere enough to drop their hypocritical stones. They immediately forgot about seeking judgment to someone else’s offence while they avoided their own offences being subjected to the same legal standard. Some people would not be that sincere today. They would have continued with self-aggrandizement to inflict hurts and damages on the apprehended, regardless.

Many people are full of it today. They easily launch out to discredit and disrepute others while projecting an image of innocence and contriteness for themselves. They love to report others while their own sins are conveniently brushed under rugs.

Meanwhile, not all accusations that seemed right are right. Many accusations are based on false premises. No matter how accurate a report of a rightly observed or witnessed event is, if the underlying premise is corrupt, the accusation instantly becomes invalid and false. It is not every accurately observed wrongdoing that warrants a pointed accusation and report to hurt, damage, annihilate, or destroy any human being

Every accuser feels a natural need and justification to seek damages to an offender regarding an alleged, assumed or perceived wrongdoing. Believers in Christ should run a different standard. They ought to operate on a higher standard. We should operate MORE by spiritual laws, more than we do human laws and human judgmental dispositions.

For instance, the law of Moses by which those folks in the Bible judged the woman who was caught in the act of adultery by, had become flawed. A higher law of compassion, mercy and LOVE had been instituted by God. Under God’s own laws, a rightly reported offense may still not warrant fierce accusation and capital judgment. A rightly reported violation may become a false accusation by God’s standard. That is the reason why believer’s should especially learn to remove logs from their own eyes before reporting others for damaging consequences. What is evidently seen, physically, may not have been rightly seen, spiritually.

JESUS did not dispute the sin or sins of the woman who was caught in the act of adultery. He just did not allow her to be fatally condemned because of it. He had a better premise to grant her fresh liberty to escape inevitable final judgment before God.

In Luke Chapter 15 from verse 11, JESUS told a parable that is now known as the parable of the prodigal son. Near the tail end of that fictional story, that was used to drive home spiritual reality, the senior brother was seriously angry. He unveiled his disgust at the father’s lack of effective condemning judgment of his own brother. He preferred that his brother remained damaged than that he should be re-absorbed back for rehabilitation and restoration. There was a rightly reported accusation about the brother’s excessive violations of customs and practices. But the father had a different premise of compassion, mercy and LOVE, to exempt the “prodigal” son from all correct evil reports.

So, are you a big-time vengeful accuser? Are you in league with those who quickly seek to point out others for condemnation based on reports that you did not adequately scrutinize? Or, have you suffered in the hands of accusers who did not factor-in full details about your circumstance before they reported you for “authorities” to stone?

JESUS could identify with the woman that was due for Mosaic law judgment. He had violated some obnoxious provisions of the laws himself. He had been rightly reported on violations of the laws, but he always argued against the premises of his inglorious accusations.

Just like JESUS, many of us have no business getting so deeply involved in others’ mistakes. We ought to have an attitude of clearly finding out all that need to be known before conclusively judging anyone else, IF WE MUST! Believers in Christ JESUS ought to be fully engaged in the business of reconciliation, rehabilitation, restoration, and reconstruction of souls. Joining league with accusers, false or right, should be the least of a true Christian’s concern.

I can identify with both JESUS and the woman in John 8, too. I have been accused on several occasions by people who saw my circumstances from a distance, and thought I deserved to be served hurtful attacks and damaging consequences. I know how painful it got to be when people heard certain right reports about me, but ended up with false summary about me. I know what it feels like for people to read me from obvious actions while making false conclusions about my character. I understand the implications of false reporting by which I get character-assassinated based on falsely-assumed premises while impugning false motives on my sincere efforts.

In Revelations 10 and verse number 12, we understand that the devil is busy “rightly” accusing believer’s in heavenly places. He is always seeking to steal, kill and destroy souls. The devil’s preoccupation is always to terminate destinies abruptly. Meanwhile, JESUS and the Godly forces in heaven are busy seeking SALVATION of souls.

Believers in Christ should leave condemnation and accusations alone for demonically motivated sons and daughters of Belial (devil). Christians should learn to look the other way, without condemning others, just like JESUS did. Our business should be to encourage others to “go and sin no more”, rather than terminate their lives and rights to liberty, happiness, and truly righteous judgment before God Almighty.

This is my prayer, I hope you pray it along too!

“Lord JESUS, I ask for forgiveness of all my sins and unrighteousness. I thank you for your work at Calvary that nullifies all that I did and can ever do wrong. Please help me to live above tendencies of my flesh to point accusatory finger at others. I know that I am a work in progress myself. I understand that I should have no time alleging and seeking hurt or damage to no-one else, who probably do not know any better. Help me to understand the right premise by which to judge people and their mistakes. I ask that, so that I can make right judgments about my relationships. Help me to judge those who are stubbornly seeking hurts and pains to me, for whatever reasons that their emotions are falsely inflamed against me. Please judge them quickly, furiously, and INDEED. Like you shielded the woman in John 8, please shield me from hurtful and damaging people. Thank you my Lord & Savior. IN JESUS name I prayed. Amen & amen.