John 8:11

[ktn4eg]

"...go, and sin no more."

Could that adulterous woman (or anyone else for that matter) have completely obeyed Christ's command?

How can this command of Christ be reconciled with the teaching of I John 1:8 ff.?

 

[annsni]

"...go, and sin no more."

Could that adulterous woman (or anyone else for that matter) have completely obeyed Christ's command?

How can this command of Christ be reconciled with the teaching of I John 1:8 ff.?

I think in understanding the context, Jesus was telling her specifically to no longer continue in the sin that He just dealt with - not every single sin that she ever was going to do.

For those who are knowledgeable about the language, is there any tense that would reveal more about this? Or the sentence structure that would show what it's pointing to?

 

[RAdam]

He is telling her to turn from her adulterous lifestyle.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Remember the complete context of the passage in 1 John. John says that he was writing these things to us that we sin not, but if we do sin (and we will) we have an advocate with the Father.

The command to not sin is still a command. One of the many we don't live up to. There is no need for reconciling.

 

[webdog]

He is telling her to turn from her adulterous lifestyle.

So simple, yet so right

 

[ktn4eg]

Thanks for the enlightenment of what passage really means.

Would, therefore, a more precise wording of that passage be something along the lines of: "...go, and sin like this no more"?

 

[Steven2006]

Thanks for the enlightenment of what passage really means.

Would, therefore, a more precise wording of that passage be something along the lines of: "...go, and sin like this no more"?

No, because that is not what Jesus said. If one were inclined to add to the wording to better understand, IMHO this would be a better choice.

Go and quit being a person who continually misses the mark in his/her relationship with God.

 

[freeatlast]

It is so hard to accept the word of God and so easy to come up with ways to get around it. The Lord never had a problem with being to the point, but we seem very set on changing it. The Lord said;
"go and sin no more." That is what He meant. Not stop this sin and sin other sins, or go and keep sin to a minimum, or do your best. He meant "go and sin no more." That is the command!
Now someone is going to say ,"but no one can do that." WHY? It is not about ability. It is about choice. I am not saying I have done it or even that anyone has, but the command still remains. "Go and sin no more." God does not lower His standards just because we decide not to follow them. He still requires perfection, My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
Just think about it. Does anyone actually think that the Lord would tell someone to go and sin not as much? Let us not be as children in our thinking, but as wise. God never approves of sin of any sort. He only calls us to no sin, not some sin. He is not please even when we get sin down to a minimum. His only pleasure is sinlessness. Here is the reason we need the blood! This passage means what it says so we better get busy and stop making excuses.