Contending for the Faith in a Hostile Culture

The title of our message tonight is Contending for the Faith in a Hostile Culture. Contending for the Faith in a Hostile Culture.

Let me mention to you that I have a bit of a lengthy introduction that I think is important to put my message in context and then we'll conclude with an illustration of what we've been teaching tonight. It's been said that culture is the environment where we live and move and eat and work and play. It influences what the people in a given area assume as normal.

For example, in a normal urban or city culture, it's going to be different than a country or a rural culture. Of fundamental importance is how a culture views and values human life because that plays a huge role in everything else. If we believe that we're merely one of thousands of animal species, all of which are the product of chance, then our end game will be our survival and our personal happiness in our particular culture.

Let me say that again because it's critical. If we believe that we're merely one of thousands of animal species, all of which are the product of chance, then our end game will be our survival and our personal happiness in our particular culture. If that's true, then right is determined about what the most powerful people consider to be right and therefore it's assumed to be normal for the time being. And when the people in power go off the scene and a new group comes in, the norm or what is normal changes. That describes America. Our nation has devolved into a culture where life and religion have become discounted as evidenced by abortion, increased homicides, and increased religious persecution. Because Christians believe that we're the product of purposeful creation by God, then our end game should be His will and His glory as the supreme judge of all mankind. We know that the guidelines by which God will judge are contained in the Bible and the impact of those guidelines upon individual believers may vary based upon generational norms and geography.

I'll give you an example that's pretty obvious. The music that we use in worship, it may differ from generation to generation, and I think you realize that happens. It can also be impacted by geography and even by the subculture of churches in the same town.

If you were to list the churches in the Burlington area, the type of worship music that they list or use would vary from church to church. For Christians, one thing in all of this that's irreplaceable and constant is the role that the Bible plays in our evaluation of and our interaction with the culture in which we live. Our doctrinal statement at Beacon Baptist Church says that the Bible reveals the principles by which God will judge us and therefore is and shall remain to the end of the world the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried.

That's powerful, folks. I hope in the months ahead the next time I get an opportunity to speak is talking about contending for the faith in a hostile culture when it comes to the gender issue. Another one that I want to address is when it comes to the abortion issue, and I'll insert this shocking bit of news as I thought ahead.

What will the Lord have me share when it comes to abortion? I read a stat recently that said this, for abortion, or for COVID I should say, for COVID to catch up to abortion, the deaths in one year for COVID to catch up to the deaths of abortion or through abortion in one year, it would take 23 years. Yes, 23 years. That's mind-boggling. We're not talking about just the United States. We're talking worldwide.

For the deaths that already happen in COVID to catch up with the deaths that would take place worldwide due to abortion, it would take 23 years. We live in a culture that is hostile to life, and we're finding out more and more it's hostile to religion. As we navigate our culture, every professing believer needs to ask these two questions, all of us. Is my conviction that the Bible reveals the principles by which God will judge all mankind with eternal consequences, is that your conviction? Secondly, is my conviction that the Bible is the template for the Christian worldview and the guide which I evaluate and respond to the culture in which I live?

Let me read that again. Is it my conviction that the Bible is the template, the guide, the example for the Christian worldview and the guide with which I evaluate and respond to the culture in which I live? Before we get to our text, and you can turn to it now if you'd like, 1 Timothy 4, we're going to be looking at two passages, 1 Timothy 4, 12 and 13. But before we get there, I want to read one passage by the Apostle Peter. And in this passage, he challenges believers to be ready to give a defense for their convictions. And already, some of you know the one that I'm referring to, 1 Peter 3, 14 through 16. Peter writes, But even if you should suffer for righteousness sake, you're blessed. And do not be afraid of their threats nor be troubled, but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you with meekness and fear, having a good conscience that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. Beloved, for people to ask you for a reason of the hope that is in you, that indicates that your hope is evident to them in your testimony. These are days of opportunity for people of conviction and courage.

And if we get nothing else out of this message tonight, that's what I want to get across. Yes, these are dark days. These are perilous times. But these are days of opportunity for people of conviction and courage. And as I said, we're going to focus on two texts written by Paul to Timothy. And these texts offer insights into contending for the faith in a hostile environment. Look at 1 Timothy 4, 12 and 13.

Paul writes to this young preacher and he says, Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you which was given you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things. Give yourself entirely to them that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine.

Continue in them for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you. First thing that we want to look at is this, the fact that we must know what the Bible says is true. We must know what the Bible says is true. Secondly, we must have the conviction in our own hearts that it is true. And finally, we must be able to share that truth with others in a non-confrontational, informed manner. Could you say that of yourself?

Could you say that of yourself? We must accurately know that what the Bible says is true to the point of it being a conviction. We must have the conviction in our own hearts that it's true.

And then finally, we must be able to share that truth with others in a non-confrontational, informed manner. Peter tells us we're supposed to do this with meekness and fear. There are three things that we're going to consider out of this passage tonight. What was Timothy admonished to do?

The first thing that we see in verse 12, he was to be a prototype or a pattern for others even though he was young for a preacher. Paul gives guidance here in five areas, and I want you to just listen to the verses that I have up for you. One of the areas is speech, Colossians 4, verse 6. Paul says, Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt.

Why? That you may know how you ought to answer each one. Speech is one area that we need to be very careful and be an example in. Secondly, our actions, three favorite verses of mine, 1 Corinthians 10, 31 through 33. They state, Therefore, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the Church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. You could use different verses than these folks, and at the end of these five, I'm going to suggest something to you.

These are some that I've chosen for myself. I need to guard my speech. I need to guard my actions. I need to make certain that my love for others is expressed through actions for the benefit of the one loved. And we look at Matthew 22, 37 through 38. Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Heavy sledding. You shall love the Lord with everything you are completely. And the second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. An unconditional, biblically agape love. And then I need to also make certain that my faith is exemplary. James 2, verse 18. Someone will say, You have faith and I have works. Show me your faith without your works, which is impossible. And I will show you my faith by my works, which is imperative. And then purity. First Thessalonians 5, 22.

Abstain from every form of evil. Now I want to go back through these briefly and ask you a couple of questions. And then give you a thought at the end. First of all, when we look at speech, is your speech exemplary? And I'm going to pause after each of these.

Because the temptation would be, it just goes in one ear and out the other. Is your speech exemplary? Not just passable. Is it exemplary? Then secondly, what about your actions? Are your actions exemplary? The way you carry yourself in public, and in private for that matter, are they exemplary?

We looked at love third. Is your love for God, mankind in general, and Christians in particular, exemplary? And any of these that don't measure up in your own mind, any of these that the Holy Spirit convicts you of, you and I need to address. And then faith. Faith. Is your faith evident in your obedience to the word of God? Is your faith evident in your obedience to the word of God?

And then this last one, all five of which are critical. Is your purity evident in your life? Are you abstaining from every form of evil? And you know, as I ask that question, is your purity evident from your abstention from anything morally questionable? I have to ask this because if you read much literature about the church today, you know it's a problem. Some people call it the hidden sin, and that's pornography.

I mention the teens and the college and career folks today when it comes to purity. If I'm sitting in my den and something provocative comes on, I have a choice to make. I can either watch that thing or invest in my purity. And what do I do if I turn the channel? Two things. I exercise myself unto godliness.

I've made a choice to use the tuner, change the channel, take that from out in front of me. David put it this way, I hate those who promote iniquity. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes.

He purposed in his house and his privacy that he was going to do that which is right. The second thing I do is not only exercise myself unto godliness, but I strengthen my relationship with my wife. When I make the choice out of my love for God and my love for my wife to get rid of that provocative thing on the television, I've done both of those things. I've exercised myself unto godliness, and I have also strengthened my relationship with my wife. This first thing that we looked at, though, he was to be a prototype, an example in his speech, his actions, his love and his faith and his purity.

Now you say, brother, you're going to give us a hint at the end. You don't need all five of those passages, folks. If I ask myself this question, is what I'm about to say consistent with acknowledging God? Is what I'm about to say consistent with acknowledging who God is? Is what I'm about to do consistent with acknowledging who God is? Is the way I'm expressing love consistent with acknowledging God for who he is? Is the display of my faith consistent with acknowledging God for who he is?

Is my purity in thought consistent with acknowledging God for who he is? Proverbs 3, 5 through 7 says, trust in the Lord with all your heart, with all your essential self, and lean not on your own understanding in all your ways. All five of these, acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths. And then verse 7, which few of us memorize, it ends up saying, be not wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord and depart from evil.

So, beloved, the first thing that we've looked at, we ask the question, are you a prototype? Are you an example in your speech, your actions, your love, your faith and purity? The second thing that Timothy was supposed to do was to proclaim the truth by first reading it, followed by exhortation. And that word exhortation means comfort or consolation in treating people.

And then he secondly or thirdly was to teach it. We're talking about doctrine. And I ask you the question, do you read, heed and feed the truth to others? Do you read the truth? Do you heed the truth?

Do you feed the truth in other people as the Lord gives you opportunity? And then the third thing, he was to be a prototype. He was to proclaim the truth. And he was to polish his God-given gifts, to polish his God-given gifts. Look at verse 14, do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Polish his God-given gifts.

MacArthur gives this statement. He states this refers to the grace given to Timothy and to all believers at salvation. And I love this, which consisted of a God-designed, spirit-empowered, spiritual ability for the use of ministry. That's powerful.

What are we to polish? Are God-given gifts a God-designed, spirit-empowered, spiritual ability for the use of ministry? In Timothy's case, the specific gift was preaching and teaching. Preaching and teaching. What about you and what about me? Well, 1 Corinthians 12 tells us that a diversity of gifts is given to Christians as determined by the Spirit for the good of the church.

Let me ask you this question. What your God-given gifts are and are you using them for his glory? So this first thing, what was Timothy to do? What was he admonished to do? He was to be a prototype, an example in his speech, actions, love, faith, and purity. He was to proclaim the truth, read it, heed it, and feed it. He was to polish his God-given gifts.

Now the question comes, how was he supposed to do this? How was Timothy to accomplish being an example to the believers? Well, verse 15 gives us three of them. It says, meditate on these things, give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Timothy was to ponder the fundamentals of being an example.

And what are those? You find them in verse 12, those five things that we listed. He was to ponder the fundamentals of being an example. That word ponder means meditate, to take care of, to resolve in the mind, to practice.

A lot of times, you and I will read scripture without taking the time to meditate upon it, ponder it, and make a practical application in our own lives. Secondly, he was to practice them. The idea of immersing himself in them followed by practicing them. You know, probably all of you, many of you, if not all of you, know I coached for several years, coached boys' soccer, girls' soccer, girls' basketball. And I made a big deal and a practice of having them do fundamentals, fundamentals. And here's my point. The serious-minded soccer player, the serious-minded basketball player, took practicing the fundamentals seriously.

You didn't have to say, come on, guys, get serious. Not with those people. I remember going to Carolina's coaching school the second year I came to Alamance, and I observed two types of kids down there. The one kid was there to play ball, loved soccer. He was there to play ball. The second type of kid was there to learn how to play ball better. And there's a world of difference. The first one is going to be able to play ball for that week.

It cost his parents a few hundred dollars to do it. The second one was going to be able to play ball better by the end of the week. And I asked this question. Do you ponder the fundamentals of being an example?

Do you practice them, immersing yourself in them? And then the third thing, he was to progress. He was to progress in his growth and grace, in his testimony before men. Have you ever stopped to ask yourself the question, am I growing in grace, and what is the evidence? Am I growing in grace, and what is the evidence that I'm growing in grace? It's a good question.

You've got to be honest in answering it. And then finally, in verse 16, take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you. He was to persevere.

Again, MacArthur makes this statement. By careful attention to his own godly life and faithful preaching of the word, Timothy would continue to be the human instrument God used to bring the gospel and to save some who hurt him. Though salvation is God's work, it is his pleasure to do it through human instruments. Beloved, what have we considered thus far?

Timothy was to be a prototype, an example. He was to proclaim the truth. He was to polish his God-given gifts. How was he to do this?

Ponder the fundamentals. How does this truth of the word apply to my life? And then practice those fundamentals as he interacted with other people. He was to show progress in his growth. It should be evident spiritually that he's not the same person that he was. And then he was to persevere by guarding his own heart as an instrument through which God would work. I want you to turn to the second passage of scripture now, 2 Timothy 2.15, and we'll see the fifth thing. How was Timothy to accomplish being an example to the believers? Ponder the fundamentals, practicing them, showing progress, persevering. But then 2 Timothy 2.15, where Paul gives yet another indispensable element of being an example of the believers.

Notice what he says. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. He was to present himself as one approved unto God without shame. And, folks, this required action.

It wasn't an option. The word diligent gives the sense of zealous persistence in accomplishing a goal. Would that describe you? Are you zealous in accomplishing the goal of being an example of the Lord Jesus Christ before others? He was to present himself as one approved unto God without shame.

And, as I said, this required action on his part. It required acknowledging God in all of his ways. And I mentioned that earlier, acknowledging God in all of his ways.

It's not a hit and miss approach to living his faith. One time, probably 30, seriously, 30, 35 years ago, I was at a teacher's convention. And I'm very careful in how I say this.

I say this realizing it can be mistaken. About 35 years ago, I was sitting in a workshop at the North Carolina Christian School Convention. And there was an athletic meeting, and a bunch of coaches were in there. And this one coach was from one of the schools that played football.

And they were debating this topic. And they said this, well, I don't coach football the way I teach Bible. Or I don't teach Bible the way I coach football. That is a mistake.

That's a mistake. And why I said this could be misunderstood. I've said this from this pulpit before. Yes, I know how I tried to teach Bible the way I coached, or I tried to coach the way I taught Bible. Folks, to do anything different is the height of hypocrisy. And teenagers are very perceptive.

They're very perceptive. Ask yourself the question, are you acknowledging God in all of your ways? Or is your life, your Christian testimony, a matter of hit and miss approach to living out your faith?

And then thirdly, this required accuracy. Notice what he says, rightly dividing the word of truth. Rightly dividing the word of truth. The word of truth is indispensable. It's inspired.

It's an errand. It's the vehicle for all aspects of the Christian life. And again, just listen to these verses that I've chosen. It's essential in salvation, Ephesians 1-13. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.

You were saved after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. And sanctification, probably all of you have memorized John 17 and 17. Jesus is praying to the Father and He says, sanctify them by your truth.

Your word is truth. And then finally, in our service, as I mentioned these three elements in our prayer, we need to thank God for His grace in saving us. We need to thank God in His grace or for His grace in sanctifying us, making us more like Christ.

And finally, we need to thank God for His grace in service. 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17. All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be complete or mature, thoroughly equipped for every good work. The word of truth is the indispensable, inspired, inerrant vehicle for all aspects of the Christian life. Now I ask you this question, what part does the word play in your life daily? What part does the word play in your life daily? I don't want to say confession is good for the soul because what I'm about to say is not a confession because I don't think that I did wrong in doing this. I do not read through the Bible every year.

Now that might shock some of you. Why don't you read through the Bible every year? Because I speak five times a week, three times in Alamance Christian School, once on Wednesday night here, once on Sunday morning, and when we were pre-COVID, once a month at Home Place. And I put a considerable amount of time into every lesson. This year, I'm reading through the word using the program that we use, and I have read through it several times. Don't misunderstand me. But the point that I want to make, whether I'm reading through the word or I'm studying to prepare a lesson as part of my getting into the word, I have to be diligent.

It can't be a hit and miss. And as I read through, and if you're doing this, if you're reading through that guide that we're using, it can be tedious when you get into some of those first books of the Old Testament. But what I got out of that, among other things, the violence of the time in which they lived, you can't help but notice that. And the other thing you notice is the incredible detail that the Bible gives. So and so begat so and so, generation after generation after generation.

And if a dude didn't have sons, it even mentions his daughter's names were. That in and of itself strengthens my faith. You know, the fact that God has given us such a meticulous history of the nation of Israel. The last question that I have for you, what was Timothy admonished to do to be a prototype, proclaim the truth, polish his God-given gifts? Was he supposed to do this, ponder the fundamentals, practice them, show progress in his growth, persevere by guarding his own heart as an instrument to which God would work? And then we just covered, present himself as one approved unto God.

But the last thing is this. How, how are we to interact with others as witnesses to the culture in which we live? And again, I have a couple of passages there I'll have you turn to, just listen to. But first, we're to be godly in our attitude.

We're to be godly in our attitude instead of belligerent. Yes, we have the truth, but sometimes we hammer people over the head with truth. Have you ever talked to someone who came at you? You know, they believed what they were saying was true. And I'm not necessarily referring to witnessing to you or something spiritual. They just come at you.

And you've got to say, dude, back off a bit. How are we supposed to interact with others as witnesses to this culture in which we live? Listen to Matthew 5, 43 through 45, godly in our attitude. Jesus said, you have heard that it was said you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.

Why should you do this? That you may be sons of your father in heaven, for he makes his son rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. This isn't natural. It's not natural, obviously, but it's necessary if we are going to be an effective example to believers and an effective witness to the loss. We are merely the conduit, the instrument that carries the word.

The Holy Spirit brings forth the harvest. So how are we to interact with others as witnesses to the culture in which we live? First of all, be godly in our attitude. And lastly, we're to be honorable in our actions. We're to be honorable in our actions. 1 Peter 2, 11 through 17. Peter said, Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lust which were against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles.

Why? That when they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they observe, glorify God on the day of visitation. Let me insert here that day of visitation. Some commentators say the day that they get saved.

Other commentators say the day that the Lord returns. Either way, they observe our conduct. Peter goes on in verse 13. Therefore, in light of this, submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme or to governors as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good, you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. As free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for advice, but as bondservants of God. He concludes, honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king. I don't know about you, but verse 12 says, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they might by your good works, which they observe, glorify God on the day of visitation. And he says, in light of that, submit to every ordinance of man. Does that have any qualifiers?

Yes. And we're going to share them as we close this part of the message. The Greek word for honorable implies the purest, highest, noblest kind of goodness. When the unsaved see us, they have the idea that we're honorable in our actions.

It means lovely, winsome, gracious, noble, excellent. And notice that Peter says, when they speak against you as evildoers, not if. It reminds us of Paul's inspired statement in 2 Timothy 3, 12. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. We say, Pastor, you said there may be a qualifier.

Yes, there is. And here it is. Christians should be exemplary citizens as long as government does not force us to choose between thus says the Lord and thus says government. Christians should be exemplary citizens as long as government does not force us to choose between thus says the Lord and thus says government. And if you question that, go for yourself to 1 Peter 2, 11 through 17 and read what it says. When Peter and the other apostles were told not to preach in the name of Christ, they replied, we ought to obey God rather than men. The word ought in this verse literally means we must obey God rather than men. Prominent examples from scripture include Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego. You could list numerous others who disobeyed government when government mandated a clear contradiction of the word of God. And what was that?

You shall have no other gods before me. So in review before I give you a very potent illustration at the end, what was Timothy admonished to do? Be a prototype or example.

Proclaim the truth. Polish his gifts. How was he to do it?

Ponder the fundamentals. Practice them. Show progress in them. Persevere in doing them by guarding his own heart. Present himself as one approved unto God without shame.

And to do that, it required action that wasn't an option. It required acknowledging God in all of his ways. It required accurately dividing the word of truth. And then we discussed how are we to interact with others as a witness to the culture in which we live. We're to be godly in our attitude. We're to be honorable in our actions. I want to give an illustration and then we have just an application and we'll be done tonight.

This closing illustration. The early Christians were falsely accused of rebellion against the government. With such false accusations as terrorism, burning Rome, atheism, no idols or emperor worship, cannibalism, cannibalism, rumors about the Lord's Supper, and this last one, damaging social progress. They were looked upon as a group that damaged social progress. Damaging social progress has the reign of modern accusations against Christians.

Because Christians view the issue through the lens of the Bible, they find themselves in the cross hairs of humanists who reject or ignore the Bible as outdated and who view those who follow it as harsh, judgmental, and a danger to the public good. You don't think that's the case? Let me give you one recent example. I'm going to give you a headline. Religious fundamentalism threatens American public education and a lot more. This is the headline. Religious fundamentalism threatens American public education and a lot more. The article was written by J. Allen Bryant, an associate professor of elementary education at Appalachian State University. It is dated April 5, 2021.

It was posted on the site Progressive Pulse. Quote, and this is what he said, folks, In short, North Carolina taxpayers are subsidizing superstition and underwriting bigotry. He's accusing us of being superstitious and bigots. While it is certainly true these vouchers will drain funds from public schools, all of society loses when education is mocked in this way.

That's a scary statement. I'd like to ask the dude, let's see, what schools went to school this year? The schools you're mocking.

He goes on in another quote, and this is unbelievable. Tar Heel tax dollars are being funneled into the creation of a Tar Heel Taliban. And Tar Heels, all of us, will pay a terrible price. The danger's too great. The threat too real. We can no longer accept taxpayer funds being channeled to curricula that undermine American ideals of pluralism, democracy, and tolerance. The university has a role to play in the defense of these ideals, the entire university, and the time is now. That's pretty heavy-hitting stuff, folks, when Christians are being called Tar Heel Taliban, when Christian education and the curriculum is being accused of undermining American ideals of pluralism, democracy, and tolerance. Unbelievable. This present-day rhetoric is part of a crusade that's gone on for decades.

We've just been asleep at the wheel. I have given this quote once before, and I'm going to give it again in full, and I want you to listen to this quote in light of what I just read that came out April 5, 2021. This was written in the Humanist Magazine by John J. Dunphy in 1983. He said, I am convinced that the battle for humankind's future must be waged and won in the public school classroom by teachers who correctly perceive their role as the proselytizers of a new faith, a religion of humanity. These teachers must embody the same selfless dedication as the most rabid, fundamentalist preachers, for they will be ministers of another sort, utilizing a classroom instead of a pulpit to convey humanist values in whatever subject they teach. The classroom must and will become an arena of conflict between the old and the new. A rotting corpse of Christianity, together with all its adjacent evils and misery, and the new faith of humanism. They have pretty much, folks, won the cultural values war in most universities.

Let me say that again. They've pretty much won the values war in most universities. But if you watch the news, they have their crosshairs now on K-12 schools. And if they win there, America will continue her plunge into a culture where values are fluid instead of absolute, where truth is relative, where biblical Christianity is considered a relic or a sugar pill for weak-minded also-rans. That's the way they will view us. Beloved, days of opposition and even oppression are also days of tremendous opportunity for those with the conviction and courage to declare, thus says the Lord. For that declaration to have effect, it must be accompanied by an exemplary Christian walk in the home, in the church, in the marketplace. I cannot convey that enough. I cannot convey that enough. Let me say it again. For the declaration, thus says the Lord, to have effect, it must be accompanied by an exemplary Christian walk in the home, in the church, and in the marketplace.

Let me give you a practical illustration, and I'm going to just read five applications and close in prayer. I mentioned that I coached. How much respect do you think the guys would have if I had them out in 95-degree heat doing wind sprints and I'm sitting on the side with an RC Cola and an umbrella over my head? Now, when I first started out coaching, I did everything I required of them.

Brothers, that is in the rear-view mirror a long time ago. But you know what? I learned that the respect of the players did not diminish. Why? Because, and I believe this, they knew I would if I could.

They did. They knew I would if I could. And that's what it's all about, folks, doing everything we can do to be an example of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I want to give five questions in closing. Do you make it a regular part of your day to ponder the word of God? In other words, ask the question, what do I believe? What do I believe about gender and transgender? What do I believe about abortion?

What do I believe about a myriad of social bombs, if you will? Do you make it a regular part of your day to ponder the word of God? Secondly, do you give yourself entirely to being like Christ by immersing yourself in the word and practicing it? In other words, you ask the question, not only what do I believe, but how do I behave? Thirdly, is there evidence of progress and grace in your life for others to see clearly? So we ask the question, how do I broadcast the light of light?

How do I broadcast that to others? Will people even know that I'm a Christian or just that I'm religious? Will they know that I'm a Christian?

Two more. Are you committed to persevere and contend for the faith in a godly, noble way when persecuted? Are you committed to that? Are you committed to it? In other words, am I battling for the truth now? And then finally, is your main goal in life to present yourself approved unto God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed?

Is that your main goal? And you ask the question, will I blush in shame before Christ when he evaluates my kingdom efforts? Will I blush in shame before Christ when he evaluates my kingdom efforts?

The title of our message has been Contending for the Faith in a Hostile Culture. And we need to leave this place tonight knowing that if we were to put it in one statement, the statement would be, am I being an example of the believer in all of these areas that Paul mentions, these five areas? Am I being an example of the believer? Am I acknowledging God in all of his ways? I want to close by simply praying the last two verses in Jude that hit it on the head. Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to God, our savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power both now and forever. Amen.