1 Peter 4:4: With Respect To This They Are Surprised When You Do Not Join Them In The Same Flood Of Debauchery, And They Malign You.

1 Peter 4:4

[4] With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; (ESV)

Those who are not believers in Jesus Christ live for the pursuit of their own pleasures. They are given to drunkenness. They participate in sexual behaviors that the Word of God condemns. There is no real moral restraint on their lives. Their standard, if they have one at all, is that if it feels good, they are prone to do it. They may say, "As long as I'm not hurting anyone." Of course, sin always hurts someone.

Notice how Peter describes unbelievers as being surprised that you, as a believer in Jesus Christ, are not joining them in their godless lifestyle. They likely wonder why you would refuse to engage in things that give pleasure. What they fail to understand is that the very things they think are giving them pleasure are the things that are destroying their lives.

The believer in Jesus Christ has been transformed. The Apostle Paul describes us in 2 Corinthians 5:17: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (ESV). We are something that is completely different. We find pleasure in giving God glory. We do not live for ourselves any longer.

Those who remain in their sin malign those who are not joining them in their depravity. Why? Because they see the holiness in the lifestyle of Christians and it makes them very aware of their own sinfulness. They may not fully understand Christianity, but there is enough knowledge that God has given them to know that their lifestyle is in conflict with a holy righteous judge.

Do you have someone giving you grief because you won't join them in their sin? Pray for them. Love them. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to not give in to their pressure, thus destroying your testimony.