1. The World Doesn’t Understand 1 Peter 4:1-6

2. Introduction Puzzled by one’s behavior Doesn’t make sense to us We are not like them

3. Introduction Text (1 Peter) Elect (1:1) Royal priesthood (2:4-10) Sanctified Christ in their hearts (3:15)

4. Introduction The world doesn’t understand Christians are different

5. Humanist Manifesto II “As in 1933, humanists still believe that traditional theism, especially faith in the prayer-hearing God, assumed to love and care for persons, to hear and understand their prayers, and to be able to do something about them, is an unproved and outmoded faith…”

6. Humanism Manifesto II “…Salvationism, based on mere affirmation, still appears as harmful, diverting people with false hopes of heaven hereafter. Reasonable minds look to other means for survival.” (p. 13)

7. Humanist Manifesto II “We find insufficient evidence for belief in the existence of a supernatural; it is either meaningless or irrelevant to the question of survival and fulfillment of the human race. As non-theists, we begin with humans, not God, nature not deity.” (p. 16)

8. Humanist Manifesto II “But we can discover no divine purpose or providence for the human species. While there is much that we do not know, humans are responsible for what we are or will become. No deity will save us; we must save ourselves.” (p. 16)

9. Introduction The world doesn’t understand Christians are different How should we differ from the world?

10. Our Priorities World has a standard of success Its God: Materialism (Mark 8:36; Luke 12:15) Consumes them (Matthew 6:32)

11. Our Priorities Therefore, we are “strange” Seek the Kingdom first (Matthew 6:33) Affects decisions about jobs, overtime, promotions, etc. We know why we are here (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

12. Our Unselfish Service World seeks domination Want to be served (Matthew 20:21-28) “You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours”

13. Our Unselfish Service Christians gives up self to serve Ask nothing in return (Luke 6:30-35) World will wonder if this can be “real” Be subject to the needs of others (Ephesians 5:21)

14. Our View of The Scriptures World’s view Best selling book, but ignored Receives lip service Ridiculed by others

15. Humanist Manifesto II “We affirm that moral values derive their source from human experience. Ethics is autonomous and situational, needing no theological or ideological sanction… We strive for the good life, here and now.” (p. 17)

16. Humanist Manifesto II “In the area of sexuality, we believe that intolerant attitudes, often cultivated by orthodox religions and puritanical cultures, unduly repress sexual conduct. The right to birth control, abortion, and divorce should be recognized” (p. 18)

17. Humanist Manifesto II “While we do not approve of exploitive, denigrating forms of sexual expression, neither do we wish to prohibit, by law or social sanction, sexual behavior between consenting adults. The many varieties of sexual exploration should not in themselves be considered ‘evil’” (p. 18)

18. Our View of The Scriptures Christians view it as authoritative Regulates our conduct (2 Timothy 3:16, 17) It alone tells of salvation We respect its silence

19. Our View of Home and Family World’s view is man-centered Family is a matter of evolution Rules made by man to his satisfaction

20. Gloria Steinam “We must understand that what we are attempting is a revolution, not a public relations movement.” (Our Right To Love: A Lesbian Resource Book)

21. Gloria Steinam “By the year 2000, we will, I hope, raise our children to believe in human potential, not God.” (Saturday Review of Education, March 1973)

22. Gloria Steinam “With the destruction of the family must come a new way of looking at children. They must be seen as the responsibility of an entire society rather than individual parents.” (Declaration of Feminism) “It Takes A Village” (Hillary Clinton)

23. Our View of Home and Family We respect God’s arrangement Ordained of God (Genesis 2:18-24) Regulated by God (Matthew 19:9; Romans 7:1-3) Roles determined by God (Ephesians 5:22-6:4)

24. Our View of Death World’s view Believe it to be the end of existence Left with greater sorrow No hope

25. Our View of Death Our view Going home (Philippians 1:23) Less sorrow (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) Faithful rewarded (2 Timothy 4:6-8; Revelation 14:13) Wicked lost (2 Thessalonians 1:6-9)

26. Conclusion World hates what it doesn’t accept Reject the Truth (John 3:19-21) Persecute the godly (2 Timothy 3:12) Are you viewed as “strange?” Living as you should? New commitment (2 Timothy 1:8)