Q: Pastor Christy, can I ask you something honestly?
Have you ever read something someone teaches and thought, I want to understand this but I am afraid of saying it wrong?
Have you ever asked a question and worried it would come across as judgment instead of curiosity?
Have you ever felt tension between what you were taught and what you see lived out in real people?
That is exactly how this question came to me. And I want to honor it.
The question came from a pastor who wrote with humility, sincerity, and a genuine desire to understand. Not to argue. Not to accuse. Just to clarify.
Here is the question, rephrased in love and respect:
Q: Am I hearing you correctly? Are you saying people have to sin, that they cannot stop even if they want to, that they are slaves to sin by nature, and that they have no free will to change because it is who they are?
That is a big question. And it deserves a clear, honest, and grace-filled answer.
A: Thank you for your honesty and your heart to understand.
You do not need to apologize. Truly. I appreciate that you are asking questions most people are too afraid to ask out loud. That alone tells me your heart is not hardened. It is curious. And curiosity is not the enemy of faith. Pride is.
Let me be very clear about what I believe, because clarity matters.
I do not believe anyone is forced to sin.
I do not believe human beings are robots without choice.
I do not believe people are helpless puppets controlled by sin with no responsibility.
What I do believe, and what Scripture teaches, is that every human being is born into a fallen nature.
Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
All means all. Pastors. Pornstars. Church kids. Worship leaders. Pew sitters. Everyone.
The playing field is level at the foot of the cross.
The difference between people is not who sins and who does not. The difference is what we believe about what Jesus already did with our sin.
That is where grace comes in.
Q: So are you saying sin does not matter?
No. And this is where people misunderstand grace the most.
Grace is not pretending sin does not exist. Grace is understanding that sin no longer defines you.
Romans 6:14 says, “Sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”
Notice what that says. It does not say sin disappears overnight. It says sin no longer has dominion. No longer has authority. No longer gets to name you.
Under law, your identity is based on behavior. Under grace, your identity is based on Christ.
I do not walk in shame for what I do. I walk in awareness of who Jesus is and what He has already accomplished. Shame says you are your worst moment. Grace says you are who God says you are, even while He is still working on you.
Q: But does grace give people permission to keep sinning?
Grace does not give permission. Grace gives power.
Romans 5:20 says, “Where sin increased, grace abounded much more.”
That verse has offended religious people for centuries. Because grace does not shrink in the presence of darkness. It expands.
Grace does not say sin is good. Grace says God is greater.
People assume grace means reckless living. In reality, grace produces the deepest transformation because it removes fear. And fear based obedience never lasts. Love does.
People do not change because they are threatened. They change because they are loved.
Q: But surely some sins are worse than others, right?
This is where honesty makes people uncomfortable.
We love to categorize sin. We rank it. We excuse the ones that look respectable and condemn the ones that look messy.
But Scripture is painfully clear.
James 2:10 says, “Whoever keeps the whole law yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.”
That means gossip, judgment, lust, pride, lying, greed, sexual sin, religious arrogance, and unforgiveness all come from the same fallen nature.
The difference is not that some people sin more. The difference is that some people are more honest about it.
My honesty makes room for grace to show off. And that makes religious people nervous.
Q: Are you saying you do not need to change?
No. I am saying change is the fruit, not the foundation.
I do not change so God will love me.
I change because He already does.
I am not here to justify my lifestyle. I am here to magnify His grace.
I preach Jesus, not behavior modification. Behavior changes when hearts are transformed. And hearts are transformed by encountering Jesus, not by being managed with rules.
The same Jesus who sat with prostitutes and tax collectors is the same Jesus sitting with me today. He is not afraid of the industry I work in. He is Lord over it.
Q: So are you a slave to sin or not?
No. I am not a slave to sin. I am a servant of grace.
Grace is not a concept. Grace is a Person. His name is Jesus Christ.
John 19:30 records Jesus’ final words on the cross: “It is finished.”
Not I will finish it when you behave.
Not it is finished once you clean yourself up.
Finished. Period.
That is why I can stand bold, unashamed, and loved. Not because I got it right, but because He finished it all.
Final Thought
If grace is not big enough for me, it is not big enough for anyone.
Grace does not lower the standard. Grace fulfills it through Christ.
And the lesson for all of us is this. Stop asking whether someone is worthy of grace. Start asking whether you truly believe grace is as powerful as Jesus said it was.
Because grace does not change people by force. It changes people by love.
And love always transforms.
If you have any questions or want to go deeper email me at info@funnychristy.com.
Whether you love me or love to hate me you are still my lover.
Jesus loves you and so do I!