1. Oh the games people play now... Oh the games sinners play now…

2. I The Blame Game 1. Some blame other people Gn.3:…12; 1 Sm.15:21 Man leaves wife Cursing Parents made me go to church... The church is not friendly The church has hypocrites Mt.15:14

3. 2. Some blame God. Gn.3:12 Homosexual Did He make other sinners? choice Sin is a choice we make 3. Some blame the devil. Gn.3:7-16 “The devil made me do it” “The devil made me do it” 1 Co.10:13; Ja.4:7

4. II The Name Game 1. Abortion: pro-choice, reproductive rights 2. Homosexuality: same sex union Stretch terms to breaking point What else could one “marry”? Judgment of God, Ro.1:18…24-26 3. Drunkenness...fornication...lying

5. III The Fame Game Ga.2:6-10 1. Billy Graham says we are saved by repentance and faith 2.Prominent brother says baptism washes away wives 3. Christians quote teachers on modesty

6. IV The Lame Game Mk.9:45 “I’m sick; I couldn’t help it” “I had a bad day…” “If you were treated like I was, you would have done what I did” A slanderer: “I’m just too honest for my own good.” [Ro.3:5-8] Ru.4:…6, “I cannot”

7. V The Same Game Mk.6:21-26; Ro.2:1-3 Fashion: The Bible doesn’t give us an itemized list of what is and is not modest dress It does instruct us to live in a way that honors God and does not cause others to stumble Mt.18:6-7

8. Richard Baxter (d. 1691) Realized that women’s clothing could snare a man’s mind Clothes choices affect other people: God calls us to walk in this world as “a candle among straw or gunpow- der” edify stumbling-block Our clothing can edify other people or it can put a stumbling-block in their path

9. Ro.12:1-2 Peer pressure Peer pressure has more to do w. what people wear than anything else 1. Fashion raises hemlines 2. Excuse: “Everybody’s doing it” 3. Wrong. Some don’t

10. Ro.14:21 “But these are innocent things” Even these may become a stumbling-block It’s not enough to ask what is right; we must ask how it affects others People judge us by what we wear Gn.41:14; Mt.22:11

11. 1 Pt.3:3-4 Modesty Modesty is not primarily a matter of clothes, but of the heart Modest clothes are the fruit of a modest heart Sculptures show braided hair, often inches above the head, intertwined w. twisted chains of gold or strings of pearls

12. Adornment, 1 Pt.3:3-4 Gold, pearls, and apparel are not sinful in themselves; it all depends on one’s motive and attitude Christians seek their adornment in a meek and quiet spirit Others, like Balaam, try to get as close as possible to the line w/o crossing over He didn’t make it

13. VI The Tame Game Some have great skill at turning sin into virtue Mt.5:16 – 6:1-5 Motive makes the difference Some have great skill at assuming the judgment of God will not catch up to them Am.9:10 No way to tame God’s judgment

14. Jn.15:22 One of the Christian’s greatest needs: self-denial Lk.9:23