The Scriptures, the Cross and the Power of God
Reflections for Holy Week by N. T. Wright, chapter 2, page 17, paragraph 3

“…at the end of John’s story of the woman caught in adultery. How easy it is for us to gloss over the last line. What we want is the word of forgiveness: ‘No more do I condemn you.’ What we would rather not hear is the necessary word that follows: ‘Go and do not sin again.’ As in the Sermon on the Mount, the great blessings to all and sundry at the beginning are match by the stark warnings at the end: some will say, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but the Lord will not recognize them. As in the parables of Matthew 13, the good and bad are kept together for the moment, but ultimately separated out. Because, of course, without the warnings, grace is subverted into mere tolerance. One of the great moral and spiritual fault lines of our times lies just here. Paul puts his finger on it in Romans 6:1: If God acts in lavish grace to utter sinners, wouldn’t it be best to go on being utter sinners so that we can get more grace? Paul’s answer—Matthew’s answer—Jesus’ answer—is quite simple. Let it not be. Many are called; few are chosen.”