Do you think I speak this strongly in order to manipulate crowds? Or curry favor with God? Or get popular applause? If my goal was popularity, I wouldn't bother being Christ's slave. Galatians 1:10

You're doing the right thing! I'm glad I found this blog. I've grown so much since. I have found freedom in the truth you share. I can't wait for the next one and the next one and the next one …..

I have been reading Serena's blog for some time now and I don't see her as “I can sin & get by with it," but I can testify that some Christians have sinned after coming to Christ, as per your statement of, "and that sin is inevitable for the Christian”

We're not perfect people and we still make mistakes. Do we want to make them? No of course not. But when we do, Christ still loves us and comforts us while we seek Him for healing and renewal.

Of course you have a right to post anything you want. Even when you disagree with me. When you add your thoughts in the mix, you open yourself up to be disagreed with, too. It comes with the territory. Welcome.

You're not the first to not like what I have to say or how I write and you won't be the last. I don't set out to make people like me or agree with me. I'm a real person, writing from a real place and my expressions are raw and uncut. I've been writing long before anyone was reading. I'll be writing long after they stop reading. I will continue to be me. Popularity is not by goal. Authenticity is an effective social sieve.

My goal is to find those who are shivering in the dark being tormented by the demonic voices who are telling them that they went too far and they're lost forever. Ill-informed albeit well intentioned Christians are the worst at feeding their fear and giving the demons the words to use.

My writing is my art, my expression of moments and thoughts and emotions. I am not trapped in the places I often write about. I write about them because others are. I write about them because it's a freedom inducing therapy.

You will not find a conclusion because I am not dead. You will find a naked flower dancing to a song in her head when you find me. Songs change with the seasons and you can go with me on my wind powered journey or you can stop reading. It makes no difference to me.

You took the time to write several concerns. I have addressed them in a new blog post…

http://www.graceisforsinners.com/life/riddles-and-light/

Don't you think God has a higher calling on our lives than this repetitive cycle of sinning again & again? Are you condoning the professing Christian sinning again & again & then just saying, "Well, God forgives me, I'm just a sinner."

Like I said in my first post, of course there is grace for the sinner who repents and really has a change of heart about their sin and turns away from their sin. But God still calls us to holiness, and that should be our goal.

"For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins" Hebrews 10:26

I'm sure there will be nasty comments to follow, and I'm sorry for that.

Serena, you don't have to post this (of course), but maybe you would at least listen to this for yourself. It's part of a series, so it's not a complete teaching for you, but still may be helpful. God bless you, Serena. Again, I'm sorry for what you went with as a child, and you are right, Jesus was there with you (something I sometimes have a hard time coming to terms with!)

www dot nogreaterjoy dot org/fileadmin/template/Audio/2005-Calendar-Messages/05_Sin_No_More_7_CD dot mp3

Serena, keep shouting that message. More people need to hear you.

Blessings,

Anita <

So, I laid it down. I don't miss it. I don't crave a smooth glass of whine. I just don't have any desire at all. I'd rather have a latte. I do, however have many friends who seem to take issue with my decision. I have been called a legalist. I am scoffed at, I am made fun of as if I were in high school trying to fit into the cool clique. I am drug into back and forth heated debates that I would rather not enter at all, I would rather this happen: them-"Do you want a drink? " me- "No, thanks… I don't drink, but would love a glass of sweet tea or water." them- "Okay, sounds good. be right back with it."

Instead this happens- them- "do you want a drink? me- No thanks, not a drinker. them- "why not?" me- just a personal decision. I'll take sweet tea, though.. thanks. " them- "I don't see anything wrong with a drink… blah blah blah… silliness. It should be a non-issue. But, never is.

This is what I don't understand. Why can't I decide what is right for me, and simply be respected for my decision? Why does it have to matter my reason? A friend told me recently that she sees herself as trashy compared to me because I don't drink. I am sorry she feels that way. I am not righteous because I don't drink alcohol. That most certainly does not make a person righteous.

Yes, we do have the freedom in Christ to decide for ourselves. A glass of wine is okay, but to be made fun of because you have decided not to touch it… I don't get that. I have been called close-minded because of a personal decision. Wouldn't it be close-minded to treat someone as if they are wrong because they did not order a drink?

The next time a friend asks me with a cutting sarcastic tone, "What is wrong with you, why don't you drink… you are such a puritan… I will say… "I'm in recovery, that's why"… because spiritually, it's true. I am constantly in recovery. And we'll see how far that conversation goes.

"Be a sinner and sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly for he is victorious over sin, death, and the world. As long as we are here in this world we have to sin. This life is not a dwelling place of righteousness"

And – amen.

The message of your post is very similar to my most recent blog post and the thoughts that have been roaming in my head for awhile.

I quoted Brennan Manning, "The danger with our good works, spiritual investments, and all the rest of it is that we can construct a picture of ourselves in which we situate our self-worth. Complacency in ourselves then replaces sheer delight in God's unconditional love. Our doing becomes the very undoing of the ragamuffin gospel."

So, the very striving to "do good" can lead to a sinful nature in itself; for we can become righteous in our own right, and not in the light of Christ's sacrifice alone. Yes, we want to "do right" because God loves us either way. Being loved transforms us, but does not perfect us on the outside. We will still fall. When we do, we can pick ourselves up, ask forgiveness — BUT we do not repent to be forgiven. We repent because we are forgiven already, and we do this out of gratitude.

I believe convictions are personal. I also believe some are self-imposed. However, I totally agree that many people condemn those who do what they deem "sin" just because others are getting to something they are missing out on. I did this myself during my "Christian Music Only" phase. I looked down on those who listened to any secular music. Their relationship with God must not be as strong as mine! Oh how sinful to judge like that. As I have grown, I see that my zeal was actually my downfall, for I was not wise in my faith. I allowed my own righteousness to overshadow God's work in the lives of others. I was pushing so hard to do right because I was still not comfortable that Christ's sacrifice was my redemption, not my works.

Do I still want to "do good"? Of course! My love for the Lord sparks that desire in me. Am I human and sinful? Of course! Should I spend much of my time dwelling on my sinful nature, or should I focus on the forgiveness that is already mine and continue to live this life I have been given? I choose to focus on the later and allow God to grow and change me from the inside out – not from the outside in.

Keep it coming Serena. You make people uncomfortable and I think that is a great place to be in. It causes people to think about what they believe. It may not lead them to the same conclusions, but at least they are thinking. At least they are not swallowing something someone in an ivory tower is spilling out. At least maybe they will allow Grace to slip into their hears a little more each day.