How should we live in the world? What should be our attitude about the changing morals and standards we see around us? Acts 2:40 says that in his sermon on the Day of Pentecost, Peter exhorted his hearers to “be saved from this crooked generation.” This word gives us some clear Biblical direction for our relationship with a deteriorating culture:
It should be instructive to us that he encouraged the crowd in verse 40 to “be SAVED from this crooked generation.” He did NOT tell them to “adapt to it”. He did not exhort them to “adjust to it”. He did not advise them just to “accept” it. He certainly did not teach them to “facilitate” it, “conform” to it, “imitate” it, “compromise” with it, or to be “relevant” to it! He said they were to be SAVED FROM it!
That’s a pretty good word for those of us who would follow Christ in this generation, which is becoming increasingly “crooked” by the day. We are not to “conform”, “compromise” or make it our concern to be “relevant” to a morally deteriorating culture. Rather, we are to make sure that we are saved from it by repenting of our sins and trusting Jesus as our Savior — and we are to share with others how they can do the same. Whether or not it is popular, may we be found faithful proclaiming to our world the same message Peter did to his: “Be saved from this crooked generation.”