Comments on: social chameleon http://www.graceisforsinners.com/god/social-chameleon/ When it's sin versus grace, grace wins hands down. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:04:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: April http://www.graceisforsinners.com/god/social-chameleon/comment-page-1/#comment-817 April Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:03:13 +0000 http://www.graceisforsinners.com/?p=1086#comment-817 Still chewing on everything ... thank you, Serena. Yes, I do see how my perception conters the truth. Sisterlisa- I'd so rather be square, too!! :) love that. Still chewing on everything … thank you, Serena. Yes, I do see how my perception conters the truth.

Sisterlisa- I'd so rather be square, too!! :) love that.

]]> By: Sisterlisa http://www.graceisforsinners.com/god/social-chameleon/comment-page-1/#comment-816 Sisterlisa Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:09:31 +0000 http://www.graceisforsinners.com/?p=1086#comment-816 My husband and I travel to different churches as he presents the ministry and we see those cliques everywhere we go. It's sad. This world has such a twisted idea of what popularity is, what cool is. Looking at it all from the outside I see the 'cool' crowd as the worst crowd. I'd rather be square. My husband and I travel to different churches as he presents the ministry and we see those cliques everywhere we go. It's sad. This world has such a twisted idea of what popularity is, what cool is. Looking at it all from the outside I see the 'cool' crowd as the worst crowd. I'd rather be square.

]]> By: Serena Woods http://www.graceisforsinners.com/god/social-chameleon/comment-page-1/#comment-810 Serena Woods Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:02:52 +0000 http://www.graceisforsinners.com/?p=1086#comment-810 April, I'm glad you brought this up because it's one of the major points that change everything. It's all about where you put your faith. You are saved by faith. Faith is <i> belief, trust, confidence, hope </i>. If you put your faith in your ability to not sin, then when you do, it makes you experience a separation from Him. It's not Him doing it, it's you responding to your belief. Your sin does not have the power to affect your relationship with God unless you believe that it does. The belief is about you, the confession is for <i>you</i>. You said it yourself: '<i>I was always in His grip.'</i> and then you follow it up with <i> you</i> and your <i>perception</i>. We <i>repent</i>, <i>confess</i> and <i>ask</i> because they are affirmations that remind us of what already <i>is</i>. How many times have you asked for forgiveness and He's had to think about it? It's not to earn His grace, it's a reminder for you. There is power in that, because there is power in what you believe. When I say that you can't mess up your relationship with God, I'm saying what is true before your belief is in the picture. The truth is, you can't. Unless you believe it can. When scripture tells us to confess our sins (1 John 1:9) it is not a formula for salvation. It is a statement that is sandwiched between two sentences for those who claim to be without sin. It is a recognition, not a formula. Scripture <i>has</i> to be read in context in order to understand the meaning and intent. If you have forgotten that you are sinful, then you need to remind yourself with your confession. If you have forgotten that you live in freedom because of grace, then you need to say it. It's for you. You're not reminding God of anything. He doesn't get anything out of your confession, it's the heart that knows it needs Jesus that He receives. If your heart is always in that position, then redundancy is not necessary. He wants you to mature in truth so that when you stumble, you accept His hand as He says, <i>"Whoa, you okay?"</i> Brush your knees off and get back to work. Keep it coming, April, if I need to clarify more.... April, I'm glad you brought this up because it's one of the major points that change everything.

It's all about where you put your faith.

You are saved by faith. Faith is belief, trust, confidence, hope . If you put your faith in your ability to not sin, then when you do, it makes you experience a separation from Him. It's not Him doing it, it's you responding to your belief. Your sin does not have the power to affect your relationship with God unless you believe that it does. The belief is about you, the confession is for you. You said it yourself: 'I was always in His grip.' and then you follow it up with you and your perception.

We repent, confess and ask because they are affirmations that remind us of what already is. How many times have you asked for forgiveness and He's had to think about it? It's not to earn His grace, it's a reminder for you. There is power in that, because there is power in what you believe. When I say that you can't mess up your relationship with God, I'm saying what is true before your belief is in the picture. The truth is, you can't. Unless you believe it can.

When scripture tells us to confess our sins (1 John 1:9) it is not a formula for salvation. It is a statement that is sandwiched between two sentences for those who claim to be without sin. It is a recognition, not a formula. Scripture has to be read in context in order to understand the meaning and intent.

If you have forgotten that you are sinful, then you need to remind yourself with your confession. If you have forgotten that you live in freedom because of grace, then you need to say it. It's for you. You're not reminding God of anything. He doesn't get anything out of your confession, it's the heart that knows it needs Jesus that He receives. If your heart is always in that position, then redundancy is not necessary. He wants you to mature in truth so that when you stumble, you accept His hand as He says, "Whoa, you okay?" Brush your knees off and get back to work.

Keep it coming, April, if I need to clarify more….

]]> By: April http://www.graceisforsinners.com/god/social-chameleon/comment-page-1/#comment-808 April Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:02:04 +0000 http://www.graceisforsinners.com/?p=1086#comment-808 just to clarify... I am definitely in no way suggesting a Christian should not sin or should expect not to sin... No, we should expect it, but be quick to get on our knees before God and confess, allow him to make us pure, and ask him for forgiveness. hope I am making sense here.. just to clarify… I am definitely in no way suggesting a Christian should not sin or should expect not to sin… No, we should expect it, but be quick to get on our knees before God and confess, allow him to make us pure, and ask him for forgiveness.

hope I am making sense here..

]]> By: April http://www.graceisforsinners.com/god/social-chameleon/comment-page-1/#comment-807 April Wed, 28 Oct 2009 07:49:59 +0000 http://www.graceisforsinners.com/?p=1086#comment-807 I do believe that sin affects my relationship with God. Am I misunderstanding the context of that statement? I have lived it... I sinned. and kept sinning.. and it seperated me from God. I was so far from Him, because I did not ask for forgiveness, did not deal with the sin, did not acknowledge it, I drifted from God. He ofcourse still loved me, that never changed, he ofcourse never left me, I was always in his grip... I just began loving the sin more, and seeing not seeing myself in need of repentance. Yes, sin definitely affects our relationship with God. He is perfect. He is holy. We have to repent. Only when I asked him to clean out the filth in my heart.. actually replace it with a new heart is when my relationship slowly became close and intimate with God. Is this making sense? I often don't communicate well what I am trying to get out!! thanks, Serena... offer your thoughts on this! :) I do believe that sin affects my relationship with God. Am I misunderstanding the context of that statement? I have lived it… I sinned. and kept sinning.. and it seperated me from God. I was so far from Him, because I did not ask for forgiveness, did not deal with the sin, did not acknowledge it, I drifted from God. He ofcourse still loved me, that never changed, he ofcourse never left me, I was always in his grip… I just began loving the sin more, and seeing not seeing myself in need of repentance. Yes, sin definitely affects our relationship with God. He is perfect. He is holy. We have to repent. Only when I asked him to clean out the filth in my heart.. actually replace it with a new heart is when my relationship slowly became close and intimate with God. Is this making sense? I often don't communicate well what I am trying to get out!! thanks, Serena… offer your thoughts on this! :)

]]> By: Traylor Lovvorn http://www.graceisforsinners.com/god/social-chameleon/comment-page-1/#comment-805 Traylor Lovvorn Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:44:50 +0000 http://www.graceisforsinners.com/?p=1086#comment-805 Great post, Serena! Great post, Serena!

]]> By: Crystal http://www.graceisforsinners.com/god/social-chameleon/comment-page-1/#comment-804 Crystal Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:59:58 +0000 http://www.graceisforsinners.com/?p=1086#comment-804 Yes, another GREAT one Serena! Your blogs always say exactly what I need to hear, when I need to hear it... Yes, another GREAT one Serena!

Your blogs always say exactly what I need to hear, when I need to hear it…

]]> By: Amber http://www.graceisforsinners.com/god/social-chameleon/comment-page-1/#comment-803 Amber Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:59:33 +0000 http://www.graceisforsinners.com/?p=1086#comment-803 SO WONDERFUL TODAY!!!! So much of this just jumped out at me... thank you! SO WONDERFUL TODAY!!!! So much of this just jumped out at me… thank you!

]]> By: Lisa Wade http://www.graceisforsinners.com/god/social-chameleon/comment-page-1/#comment-802 Lisa Wade Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:29:02 +0000 http://www.graceisforsinners.com/?p=1086#comment-802 Another GREAT one Serena. Waiting to hear your thoughts on 3. Another GREAT one Serena.

Waiting to hear your thoughts on 3.

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