Don’t Be Manipulated
If you’ve been in church long enough, you will have heard pastors preach the verse that says ‘always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the Hope that is in you’ (1 Peter 3:15; NKJV). And when you heard it, it’s likely that the pastor was either trying to motivate you to evangelize or to participate in apologetics.
Why do pastors push their congregations towards evangelization with this verse? The reality is that it’s most often for the purposes of church growth. They’re eager to get more people in the congregation--and that's often driven by their own ego for their own finances. If they're going to make a push towards evangelism, they would do better teaching other passages like the shepherd who left the 99 sheep to seek the one that was lost.
And why do pastors push their people towards apologetics with this verse? Well, the word defense in ‘always be ready to give a defense' is the Greek word apologia, from which we get the English word apologetics--and they like to point that out while they show off a little knowledge of Greek.
Apologetics is the defense of the Christian Faith. It's an academic discipline. There's a place for that in our outreach, but 1 Peter 3:15 has nothing to do with ministries that argue for Creationism, for the geological evidence of Noah’s Flood, or for scientists who argue the planet was created 6,000 years ago. Recruitment of scientists for apologetics should be done using other Bible passages like these two:
Timothy... Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called "knowledge" (1 Timothy 6:20).
Above all, you must understand that in the Last Days scoffers will come, scoffing... They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of Creation.” But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s Word the heavens came into being and the Earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed (2 Peter 3:3-6).
Now, there’s nothing wrong with participating in evangelism or apologetics. However, you shouldn’t base your decision to participate in those ministries of evangelism and apologetics based on the verse that says ‘always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the Hope that is in you’ (1 Peter 3:15; NKJV).
Find another passage to inspire you. Not 1 Peter 3. It's not about evangelism or apologetics. This passage is much more akin to Jesus' warning to the apostles:
... they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. And so you will bear testimony to me. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict (Luke 21:12-15).
The Real Matter at Hand
The context of ‘be ready to give a defense’ is not evangelism or apologetics. It’s suffering. It’s persecution. Those are topics we don't like to hear about, but we need to. The context of 1 Peter 3 is that you should be so similar to Christ in your behavior and speech that as you succumb to mistreatment, hate, and defamation, you will move people to ask you what makes you so hopeful.
Don't like to hear that? Too bad. It's what God expects from us. He expects every Christian to put up with the worst kinds of mistreatment with joy, resilience, and hope--the Hope of the Kingdom. The 21 Egyptian Christians were martyred on the shores of Libya in February 2015 by ISIS terrorists are a shining example of this kind of strength. Few of us have forgotten the brutality they were subjected to.
1 Peter 3 is for all the dear Christians in the World who are hated for their Hope of a Kingdom. Persecution is particularly intense in China, India, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Iran, North Korea, and China.
If you don't have a need for this Bible passage, they do! They need to know what to do as they suffer persecution. They don't have to ask themselves "When will it happen?" They ask themselves "What should I do right now as it is happening?"
And you who live in the West, do you suppose that you'll be exempt from persecution because you live in a country that today protects freedom of religion? Don't presume things will always be so easy. Rather, you should count on persecution! Jesus warned us that it will come prior to the "birth pangs."
Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved (Matthew 10:21-22).
A Text with a Context
The context of the ‘be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you’ verse is established six verses earlier in 1 Peter 3:9. Let’s take a look at the context--but let's read it nice and easy. No rushing as you read!
It's hard to read verses that speak of the suffering of Christians just like it's hard to see pictures of Christians in their suffering--but we have to do it! We can't spend all of our time reading about the blessings of Scripture. We need a balanced outlook.
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing… Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. ‘Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.’
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the Hope that is in you. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil (1 Peter 3:9, 13-17).
Can you see the context now? The context is that:
People do evil to people like you and me.
They insult us.
They will harm us.
They cause us to suffer for what is right.
They try to make us fear by using threats.
They want us to be frightened.
They speak maliciously against our good behavior and slander us.
They make us suffer for doing good.
All the words in italics above we lifted directly from the passage, so the points above constitute an accurate summary of the passage in its own words.
But lo and behold, right in the middle of the passage we find the famous saying ‘... be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you.’ It’s nestled right in the middle of these words. It’s nestled right in the middle of 10 different expressions of the suffering Christians must bear.
The Christian Reality: We Bear our Cross
So, if a pastor is going to motivate you to 'be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you' he absolutely must first address the issue of Christian suffering. He'll need to explain why you and I must suffer for doing good. He'll need to tell us why people hate us so much. He'll need to explain why Jesus called us to bear our cross.
Jesus said to his disciples, 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me' (Matthew 16:24).
Christians do good, but our enemies in this World do us wrong. In the midst of that topic--the topic of bearing our cross--we find these well-known words:
… (1) do not be afraid of their threats, (2) nor be troubled. But (3) sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and (4) always be ready to give a defense to (5) everyone who asks you a reason for (6) the Hope that is in you, (7) but with meekness and fear (1 Peter 3:14-15; NKJV).
So, what must a Christian do according to this passage? He must do seven things. We’ve numbered them in the citation above. Now, let’s examine them one-by-one. Here they are, lifted directly from the passage:
do not be afraid of their threats
do not... be troubled
sanctify the Lord God in your hearts
always be ready to give a defense
give a defense... to everyone who asks you a reason
they ask for a reason... for the Hope that is in you (have the Hope in you)
give a defense... with meekness and fear
(1) Be Brave
do not be afraid of their threats
Our persecutors need to notice that we are not afraid of their threats if they’ll ever repent and convert. If God will ever prick their consciences, you first need to show them some bravery. God works through us to reach people, and the people who are watching us most closely are our persecutors. Show them what you're made of!
But, you ask, "What's the secret to being brave?" Fear God. People who fear God don’t fear men. The fear of God liberates us from our fear of man because it overrides the fear of man. We all have fears--it's just that some of us face them with the fear of God.
Do not run away. Stand your ground. Demonstrate that you have a Hope in Heaven. Those of us who know that there's a Resurrection, know that we'll also be judged. Prepare for it.
(2) Be Confident
do not... be troubled
People who mistreat us need to see that we’re not worried about losing their approval, friendship, or support. We’re not worried about those things because they belong to this World. Our plans are to leave this World and to be in the New World, the Kingdom, forever.
We’re not worried about getting fired from our jobs, getting kicked out of social networks, being disliked, or becoming poor due to disenfranchisement. We don't bite our nails over those things.
We hold our composure. Our enemies are watching to see if we’ll crack, but we can't let them see any weakness in us.
Solomon advised wisdom seekers with these words:
If the ruler’s temper rises against you, do not abandon your place, because composure puts great offenses to rest (Ecclesiastes 10:4; NASB).
(3) Be Prepared
sanctify the Lord God in your hearts
The idea of ‘sanctifying the Lord God in your heart’ means that you’ve bathed your thoughts in prayer. You’re filled with the Spirit. You’ve prepared yourself by orienting your mind beforehand, and you’re ready for anything. With a focus on God, you will not be phased!
Jesus spoke to this attitude. Firstly, he taught us to start our prayers by hallowing the name of God--that is, by honoring God. Secondly, he told us to ‘... watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation’ (Matthew 2:41).
(4) Be Smart
always be ready to give a defense
As a persecuted Christian, you have to be like a defense attorney. You have to be smart. You must, like Stephen (who was martyred in Jerusalem after he had been ordained one of the first deacons). He was ready to give his defense.
What is your defense? What are the things you believe, teachings from the Bible, that compel you to live the way you live? Articulate these beliefs and tell people about them even now so that when you're persecuted, they will come out naturally.
Why not put together logical arguments about why the Kingdom is our goal? Is our faith not reasonable? Is it not logical? And even in the areas where it doesn't sound logical, it's still right!
The foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength (1 Corinthians 1:25).
(5) Be Logical
give a defense... to everyone who asks you a reason
Have you thought about the reasons you have the Hope of the Kingdom? There are so many. If someone asks you, tell them about the peace, the righteousness, the abundance, the love, and the fellowship we will enjoy forever. Tell them about the reign of Christ on the Earth. Tell them about the harmony we’ll experience. Or are you ashamed to live in the Hope?
Jesus gave logical explanations of what he hoped in, and he did it before unbelieving men who insisted that he speak. Jesus told the High Priest:
... you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of Heaven (Mark 14:62).
Then he told Pontius Pilate:
My Kingdom is not of this World. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest (John 18:36).
(6) Be Full of Hope
they ask for a reason... for the Hope that is in you
You need to be filled with the Hope. The idea is not just to be hopeful, which means that you’re hoping for something better in life. The idea is to be filled with the Hope of the Kingdom. It should control your every action. It's the direction of your life--your vision. Every day you should pray 'May your Kingdom come!'
This is the most important of the points to make because if you’re not filled with the Hope, and people can’t see that it has made you brave, confident, prepared, smart, and logical—then they won’t ask you anything! If they don't ask, then you can't give them the reason for the Hope that is in you.
Worldly people aren't dumb. They know who is sincere and who isn't. They are not interested in a so-called "Christian" who is not genuine. They can smell a fake Christian a mile away. So don't have any cracks in your armor.
Your best bet at being filled with the Hope is to ‘be filled with the Spirit’ (Ephesians 5:18).
(7) Be Meek
give a defense... with meekness and fear
Peter tells us to speak about the Hope of the Kingdom in a meek and God-fearing way. Don’t brag about your inheritance as if you were chosen because you’re so good. God never decided to give it to you for your own righteousness. It comes through Christ--the righteousness of God! We follow him by faith, the same faith by which we are justified.
Don’t speak of the Kingdom like something you deserve or that you’ve earned. Explain to them how Jesus earned it for us! Now, can you understand why Jesus began his Beatitudes with:
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the Earth (Matthew 5:5).
Two More "Be"s
We’ve looked at 7 things you must be to be if you’re going to fulfill 1 Peter 3 and ‘... be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you.’ But there are at least two more things you should be if you're going to be prepared to testify to the Hope. Let’s look at them.
(8) Behave
The context of the famous expression ‘... be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you’ says that we are people ‘eager to do good.’
Peter says that we ‘suffer for what is right.’ That means that we suffer for righteousness—for doing the right things! Peter also says that the God-haters will ‘speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ.’
What is Peter saying? What is the Holy Spirit saying through Peter? That if people are going to ask you about the Hope within you, long before they ask, they will have been observing how well-behaved you are!
But why do Christians behave so well? The passage says it. It says that we behave well because we are in Christ. It’s not because we have our own righteousness!
Precisely, if we are able ‘to suffer for doing good,’ then we get our strength from the example the Lord Jesus—a man who was crucified for performing righteous works and speaking the Truth. His example inspires us. He shows us what a Kingdom citizen has to bear while pilgrimaging in this World.
Our behavior should be so different that the people in our lives who mistreat us should be taken aback. Startled that we do not react by retaliating evil for evil, and amazed that we do not seek vengeance--they will have a question for us: What’s this Hope you have?
(9) Be Approachable
But when they finally ask you, will you be approachable? Do people feel like they can ask you questions? Or are you inapproachable?
Are you the kind of person people can speak with, or are you snotty? Are you angry or rude? Maybe you are so focused on yourself that any time you suffer you wallow in self-pity. If you do, then you’re not approachable.
Grow up! Your body language speaks much louder than your words.
Grace and Love
Unbelievers should be impressed by our Hope. Because the promise of the Kingdom is based on God’s grace (unmerited favor) and not the Law (which makes people self-righteous), it really does transform a sinner into a saint. And that's what you were, right?
The promise of the Kingdom really has changed from haters to lovers. Grace works! Has it worked in you? Has it turned the person who once was a whiner into a winner? Has it turned you, a person who once was a weakling--into a warrior? Has God's grace changed you?
People will see the suffering of someone with the Hope will wonder how we endure suffering so well. They’ll want to know the source of our joy. Well, what is it? It's Jesus in his Coming!
... the blessed Hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13).
Always be ready to speak of the Hope of the Kingdom. Never be afraid to mention it to anyone—a man, a woman, a believer, or a sinner.
If a family member, a boss, a subordinate, or a neighbor asks you about why you are so able to suffer patiently, tell them. It's because Jesus has given you strength and an example to follow. It's because you expect him to return soon.
And if you're not motivated to tell them about Jesus, just remember that Jesus loves all those people more than you do. He has provided for them the very best--forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God, and the Hope of eternal life.
Hope and Love
Hope motivates you and me to live the way we do. But love motivates us to tell people why we live the way we do. Don't quench that love. It comes from God.
Don't ever be ashamed to tell people about Jesus. He is a King--the King of an Eternal Kingdom. He will rule forever. Let him rule in your heart today, and live in the Hope he gives you.
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