Go and Sin No More
In the parable where the woman was caught in sin, they were ready to stone her, and Christ stopped them in their tracks with this now well known phrase, "He that is without sin, let him cast the first stone." After they all left in shame, He told the woman, "Go and sin no more." He basically instructed her don't continue in your sin. She probably knew she had dodged a bullet that time, and she might not the next time. Hopefully, she did discontinue her bad behavior.
(Sin from Greek Hamartia: miss the mark, cognate says "no part of, no-share, loss).
266 hamartía (a
feminine noun derived from 1 /A "not"
and 3313 /méros, "a part, share of") – properly, no-share
("no part of") loss (forfeiture) because not hitting the
target; sin (missing the mark).
There seems to be a bit of confusion about sin, the bible says, if we say we haven't sinned, we are a liar, it is a given that our Adam sin dna is always within us, we can't not sin. But, there is more to it. There is a loss factor, sin causes a forfeiture or penalty. The Bible says the wages of sin is death. We are weak and we sin, and the wages are death. Salvation is only available through Christ's sacrifice being counted toward our sins. But, even though His death pays for our sins, we still have to try to get the sin out of our lives according to Paul. Even though we obtain grace, and forgiveness of sin as a gift from God, God does not want us to continue in our sins, of course there is the Gnostic concept that the more you sin, the more grace abounds. So, should we continue our sins, so that grace abounds? Paul says "God forbid."
ROMANS 6
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.