The Christian’s Great Challenge  Believing In Christ Is A Challenge… but not that great!  Faith-producing evidence is clear. Rom. 10:17; Jn. 20:30,31  Plan of salvation is quite simple. Mk. 16:15,16; Rom. 10:10; Acts 2:37,38  Basic incentive to be a Christian is enticing. Rom. 5:9; Rev. 2:10 Phil. 2:14-16

The Christian’s Great Challenge  Believing In Christ Is A Challenge…  Living For Christ, Of Itself, Is A Challenge... but not that great!  The worship is quite simple and straight forward.  The work, as individuals, as families, and as congregations, is also straight forward. Phil. 2:14-16

The Christian’s Great Challenge The great challenge is doing it all “in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation”! Phil. 2:14-16

The Christian’s Great Challenge  The Great Challenge Is Doing It All “In The Midst Of A Crooked And Perverse Generation”! Surrounded by social and political corruption! Surrounded by moral and religious perversion! Phil. 2:14-16

The Christian’s Great Challenge Three aspects that makes this such a challenge:  The Hostility Of “A Crooked & Perverse Generation”! Faithful Christians can expect hostility. Mt. 10:34-36; Heb. 12:3; 2 Tim. 3:12 People are hostile for different reasons:  Feel threatened by anyone different. 1 Pet. 4:4  Feel threatened by teaching of Christ. Acts 19:24-27  Envy. Mt. 27:18; Acts 13:45 Phil. 2:14-16

The Christian’s Great Challenge Three aspects that makes this such a challenge:  The Hostility Of “A Crooked & Perverse Generation”! Faithful Christians can expect hostility. Mt. 10:34-36; Heb. 12:3; 2 Tim. 3:12 People are hostile for different reasons. The challenge is to endure without retaliation. 1 Pet. 2:23 Phil. 2:14-16

The Christian’s Great Challenge Three aspects that makes this such a challenge:  The Discouragement Of “A Crooked & Perverse Generation”! As a lover of peace, we are disturbed and discouraged by strife, war, and turmoil. As a lover of righteousness, we are discouraged by corruption. 2 Pet. 2:7-9 As a minority, we are discouraged at how few there are who want to do right. 1 Pet. 3:20 The challenge is in keeping our heads above all the discouragements! Phil. 2:14-16

The Christian’s Great Challenge Three aspects that makes this such a challenge:  The Subtle Influence Of “A Crooked & Perverse Generation”! This is probably the greatest threat to our eternal well-being! It is hard to be “in the world” without being “of the world”. Rom. 12:2 Attitudes, views, and conduct of people around us often adversely influence us: Phil. 2:14-16

The Christian’s Great Challenge Three aspects that makes this such a challenge:  The Subtle Influence Of “A Crooked & Perverse Generation”! Attitudes, views, and conduct of people around us often adversely influence us: 1.Their morals and ethics. 2.Their general appearance. 3.Their concept of the church. 4.Their spiritual responsibilities. 5.Their priorities. 6.Their family situations. Phil. 2:14-16

The Christian’s Great Challenge Three aspects that makes this such a challenge:  The Subtle Influence Of “A Crooked & Perverse Generation”! This is probably the greatest threat to our eternal well-being! It is hard to be “in the world” without being “of the world”. Rom. 12:2 Attitudes, views, and conduct of people around us often adversely influence us. The challenge is to keep ourselves “unspotted from the world”. Jas. 1:27 Phil. 2:14-16

To live at all, we will live in the “midst of a crooked and perverse generation”.

To make it to heaven, we will have to do it in spite of the environment in which we live!

We cannot blame any personal failures on the times and the places in which we have lived!