If we remember the overall context of 1 Peter, we know that Peter is writing to believers that are scattered abroad in the midst of a hostile culture that wants, at some level, nothing to do with Christianity. If they cannot get the Christians to be silent, they will persecute them in order to stop them from sharing the message of the Gospel. Peter, however, wants these Christians to live in a way that gives evidence of what has changed them, so he calls on them to be ready to give a defense for the hope that lives in them. He understands that knowing Christ gives them a hope that is radically different from the world around them, and they need to be ready to explain why that is. Peter takes it a step further and calls them to answer with gentleness and respect because Peter knows that the tone in which it is delivered will affect those that hear the message of the Gospel.
As we begin our study of apologetics, we want to be mindful of what is necessary to defend our faith well. First and foremost, our own conversion to Christ reminds us that those who are born again are born again into a living hope. That hope should spill out from our lives in a compelling way that is the aroma of Christ to those with whom we come into contact. As such, they will undoubtedly ask us questions and we can answer why that hope resides in us. As we seek to answer those questions we should do so in a gentle and respectful way that once again points to the hope that we have in Christ.
How does your conversion and the message of the Gospel give you hope?
Why is it important to be able to give people answers as to why we are Christians?
Why is it important that Christians be aware of how they sound when they answer questions?
Comments are closed