Forward.

The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” 

John 8:3-11

This woman was caught in the act of adultery and brought to Jesus. For all we know, she could be shamed and naked in the middle of the temple. She's encircled by people who want to kill her for her sin, and she has no way and nowhere to hide. Men stare at her and demand answers from Jesus, her judge. But, Jesus writes in the dirt. He doesn't glare at the woman's nakedness and he ignores the angry questions. He graciously dismisses the mob and then talks to the woman.

Many times, we sin, feel convicted, and then muster up the strength to ask for forgiveness a couple days later. In the time between the initial sin and when we finally ask for forgiveness, we've probably emotionally mugged ourselves. We give up and think that we already messed up in one spot, so we might as well do something else. Or, we try to fix ourselves up a little so we have something to offer to God when we ask for forgiveness (like that worked for the Hebrews... but I digress). Either way, we slide down a slippery slope and end up where didn't want to be.

Notice the order in this passage. First, Christ shows that the woman is not condemned. Her lets her know that her sins are not held against her. Then, he tells her to sin no more. Her forgiveness precedes her command to change. 

My uncle struggled with obesity for my whole childhood, but about five years ago, he lost the weight. In a conversation about this, he told me, "I had to find the grace to change." He realized that Christ forgave him after the first handful of potato chips, so he didn't beat himself up for his mistake and grab another.

We move forward from a place of forgiveness. Our past ends where our redemption begins: at the feet of Christ.