How To Confront Paganism

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The superiority of Greek art
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The Superiority of Greek Architecture
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The Greek Religion Was Paganism

• Considered High Class in 1st Century
• Produced moral decadence
• Results of its corruption
• Divorce
• Slavery
• Homosexuality

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How Did Jews Confront Paganism?

• Sadducees - Compromise
• Didnt believe in angels, spirits (Acts 238)
• Pharisees - Inward focus, traditionalism

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Errors of the Pharisees

• Trusted in themselves as righteous (Luke 189)
• Despised others (Luke 189)
• Bound their interpretations as law (Jn. 9 Mark
  75, etc.)

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How Did Jesus NOT Confront Paganism?

• The compromising spirit of the Sadducees

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Matthew 2229

• 29 Jesus answered and said to them, "You are
  mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the
  power of God.

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How Did Jesus NOT Confront Paganism?

• The compromising spirit of the Sadducees
• The arrogant pride of the Pharisees
• Spent time with sinners (Matt. 910-13)
• Heroes Tax collectors, Samaritans, Shepherds
• Criticized their obsession with little details
  and indifference to great principles. (Matthew
  2323)

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Matthew 2323

• Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
  For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin,
  and have neglected the weightier matters of the
  law justice and mercy and faith. These you ought
  to have done, without leaving the others undone.

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How Did Jesus Overcome Paganism?

• Personal Holiness (1 Peter 114-16)

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1 Peter 114-16

• as obedient children, not conforming yourselves
  to the former lusts, as in your ignorance
• 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be
  holy in all your conduct,
• 16 because it is written, Be holy, for I am
  holy.

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How Did Jesus Overcome Paganism?

• Personal Holiness (1 Peter 114-16)
• Intense, Fervent Love (Jn. 1335)
• Unwavering Faith In The Midst Of Persecution (1
  Peter 221-24)

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1 Peter 221-23

• For to this you were called, because Christ also
  suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you
  should follow His steps
• "Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in
  His mouth"
• who, when He was reviled, did not revile in
  return when He suffered, He did not threaten,
  but committed Himself to Him who judges
  righteously

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We Live In A Pagan World!

• Money (Col. 35)
• Pleasure (Hedonism)
• Witchcraft, Superstition

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Popular Ways of Dealing With Modern Paganism

• Compromise (Sadducees)
• Worldly entertainment, Celebrity culture
• Worldly clothing
• Refusal to take scriptures at face value

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Popular Ways of Dealing With Modern Paganism

• Pharisaism
• Taking refuge through enclosing selves in
  isolated world.
• Little or no evangelism
• Extreme discomfort in dealing with the lost

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Lets imitate Jesus in dealing with Paganism!

• Sanctify ourselves (Jn. 1717)
• Develop an intense, fervent love (John 1335)
• Develop great faith (1 John 54)

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Acts 240

• Be saved from this perverse generation!

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