Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Embracing Your Inner Sinner

Have you ever noticed that the very things people dispute in the Bible, are usually the things closest to home for them. Homosexuals dispute that homosexuality is a sin, saying that it's just "old testament stuff." Strongly independent women (not unlike myself) disregard that whole submission thing as a sign of "Biblical times, but not relevant today." Liars (dare I use such a strong word?) explain how it's just little white lie and not really lying. Gossips assure us they are just spreading the word so you can pray for the person.

Why do we minimize our sins? Why do we negate the Biblical truths? Because the truth is, we don't really want to be sinners. We want to say we're really good people, and yes, we may have a few missteps, but nothing really big. Nothing bad like, you know, THAT guy over there. Nah, I sin a little, but I'm okay. I only need a little grace. Cause if my sins were BIG, God wouldn't forgive them, would he? Wouldn't I be a bad person?

The truth is, the only sin God doesn't forgive is the one that isn't asked for forgiveness. There is no sin that is too big for God's grace. By minimizing our sins, we not only are minimizing God's gift of grace, but are in fact raising ourselves up higher than we deserve. We are ALL sinners.

Why not embrace your inner sinner today? Why not say "yes, that whole wifely submission thing is impossible for me alone, and hard even with Jesus' help, that is why I need grace! That is why Jesus died for me, because I cannot get this one right." It's okay to admit it. We can't get it right alone. That's why Jesus died for our sins.

Keep striving to do better. But don't minimize your sins. Admit them, ask God to forgiven them, then work to change them. God's grace is big enough.



2 Corinthians 12:8-10 -- Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.



Romans 6:1-3 -- What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?


"Your Grace is Enough" video


Chatty Kelly

17 comments:

Leslie said...

Oh that gossiping in order to share a prayer request really gets me! Our staff shares prayer requests and prays together every morning, and I always try to think before I share. Is this gossip or a true prayer request? And I cringe when other people do it. I've also seen the ramifications of it when it happens.

I'll check back later to look at the video. I have to get to work! Happy Wednesday!

Sue J. said...

The intervening power of Jesus is two-fold--His dying to lift the consequences of our sins from us and His living so we can see the sin we carry and ask Him to help us conquer it. Boldly generalizing here, our biggest sin is that we don't seek Him out, in spite of everything He did and continues to do.

God cannot embrace our inner sinner, because He cannot be anywhere near sin. When we realize the "hug sandwich" we have, Jesus being in the middle, then we can grow in our closeness to God....losing our sin nature over to love (obedience).

I love your title!

Beverlydru said...

I gave up on trying to be perfect a long time ago. I'm so glad that I'm holy through the imputed righteousness of Christ. What a gift!

My ADHD Me said...

It was just a "little" lie, right? It didn't hurt anyone, right?

....thanks for the reminder!

Bonita said...

Good preachin' Sistah Kelly!

Isn't it amazing how sin always look so much bigger on someone else and so trivial on us? You hit the nail on the head today.

Thank God for Jesus, for salvation, for His continued work in us. And thank God when we mess up, He's always there.

Tammy said...

Now there a message!

I made up so many excuses why my life was broken and miserable. My marriage was falling apart for the second time(this was my second one)just because I was "Woman,hear me roar!" It was that submitting thing.

I thank God that He continued to chase me and offered His Grace.

God's girl said...

Can we say "ouch" again:)

I love the way God speaks through you. Plain, simple, and to the point, yet given with much love and grace:)

Thanks for this word today!

Sipping on your soda, Heaven

On Purpose said...

Only with His grace!

Jennifer Shirk said...

Amen.

Society and our culture changes but God's Word is ever constant and true.

Nobody wants to be told what they're doing is wrong. Humility to recognize our inner sin is a gift from God.

B His Girl said...

Minimize our sins is minimizing the gift of God's grace to us....that is powerful Kelly. God opened my eyes to something MORE in that statement. Thank you. Thank you Lord for loving us while we were yet sinners...BIG sinners! His smile is on you today! Enjoy. B

Carmen Gamble said...

Great observation, Kelly. It is so easy to point out another's sin and try to cover up or minimize our own. Sin brings out our deceptive nature, doesn't it? You've sure made me think today. Love the way you've lined it up next to grace to show that when we mimimize sin, we also minimize grace. Wonderful message!

Melanie said...

Cool insight, Kelly!
Melanie@Bella~Mella

Billy Coffey said...

What a powerful post! We all need to take a good, long, hard look at ourselves sometimes, if only for the reminder that we're all in need of a Savior.

Joy in The Truth said...

Hi, Kelly! Your blog post today reminds me of one of my "life verses":

Titus 3:3-7
"At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life."

Whoooeee...so thankful for His generous mercy! :)

Love you girlfriend!

Mary Moss said...

Ah . . . that old, "it's just a little sin" . . . train of thought!

Great post, Kelly, and right on the mark.

Mrs. Sidney said...

wow, this was powerful... thank you!!

Angela said...

Awesome post my friend...it gets easy to compromise doesn't it? Well it does for me...too easy. I loved this and that song is one of my favorites.