June 6, 2021 - Swimming with the Sharks - Pastor Paul Vallee

1 Peter 2:11-17, 1 & 2 Peter Series Spiritual speaking, we swim with the sharks every day as believers. We are living in an environment that is foreign and dangerous to living a victorious Christian life. In the first century, Christians were accused of all kinds of terrible things. People who march to a different drumbeat than the rest of the culture will be held in suspicion, which was certainly true of the early beginnings of Christianity. We find ourselves living in a world that is growing more overtly hostile to Christians. As my title suggests then, how do we swim with the sharks? How can we live a life that will help destroy the image that being a follower of Jesus is an evil thing? Especially when the institutional church has often failed, sinned and abused people? How can we live a holy life in an unholy world, dealing with misconceptions and accusations that are not always justified? How should we live now that we are God’s beloved people and function in an environment that is hostile to living a holy life?