1. Something I find interesting.

When someone is found to be in deep scandalous sin and in so-called humility folks say, "apart from the grace of God go I". Personally, I think that is often said in false humility. True humility can take a sober assessment and conclude, nah yo.

2. Most people, even non-believers, aren't serial adulterers. Most people, even non-believers aren't abusers. Most people, even non-believers, aren't pedophiles, etc. If the ONLY think holding a person back from grievous sin is "grace", something is serious wrong.

3. Yes, grace of God does often operate as a retraining force from deeper and darker expressions of sin. However, we are also individuals made in God's image and b/c of that there are good things common to humanity. We shouldn't all be one grace hiccup away from scandalous sin.

4. Ultimately, I think many of us have been taught "spiritual speech" & "Christian Theology" that causes us to downplay the wicked acts people with spiritual authority commit b/c we are trained to believe we are on verge of doing the same every day. They were just... unfortunate.

5. Listen, I pray to God to protect my heart, and to guide me on a path of righteousness. I pray as Christ suggested, that God would keep me from temptation. But, we are called to more than simply not sinning, to abound in righteousness. I'm not a grace hiccup away from adultery.

6. I'm not a grace hiccup away from murder, theft, manipulating others thru ministry, or from abusing someone. To say I am is false humility. Pride can express itself thru self-deprecation just as much as thru self-exaltation. True humility aims to produce honest self-assessment.

7. To be clear, I am not saying that common grace isn't real. Every single person, including myself is capable of inconceivable evil. My point is that, scandalous sin does not happen in a moment. It is the result of numerous decisions made over time. We shouldn't be living....

8. One small step away from committing profoundly grievous acts. A person of sound character lives a life w/ established boundaries of righteousness & accountability. Yes, we are all capable of the worst kinds of evil, but most people aren't a moment away from being like Hitler.

9. Am I capable of becoming an adulterer? Absolutely! But I'm for me to become one it will require a large amount of compromising decisions and a profound spiral away from who I currently am. I don't live life on the verge up scandalous sin w/ a misstep. Important distinction.