In reading through 1 Peter 3:8-17, Pastor Lance pulls out how the church's conduct must reflect what Christ has done in transformed lives. Once a person decides to follow Jesus, there's no turning back. God's gifting and calling are irrevocable, but the church has taken its eyes off Jesus Christ, and it's pulling us apart. We're called to display the character of Christ in our lives by the power of the Holy Spirit; to love those who persecute us, to exhibit grace-filled speech, and to diligently seek the Lord. Pastor Lance argues that the church has let the world pressure us into silence, and that leaders have acted cowardly during this season. We have been called to follow God, not cave in to what culture says we must do, be, or say. Because we are set apart, believers will suffer for righteousness' sake. We live to please Christ, not man.
