Ready to Give a Defense

(Drawn Out: I & II Peter & Jude)

As our 2019 theme ends, consider what Nathan and Eric wrote about I Peter 3:15.

Some take the passage in I Peter 3:15 (“always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you..”) to say we should be ready to give an answer to any and all questions about the doctrinal views we hold, what we believe we can/cannot do in worship, how we feel about “this and that,” etc. However, the context here
is specifically dealing with a defense for the hope Christians have. While we should all know and have a foundation for why we believe and practice the things we do, this is not what Peter is talking about. Peter told his readers they should be ready to give an answer for the hope they have when questioned. When not retaliating in the midst of persecution and suffering, others may have noticed this hope Christians had and asked them about it. So, what would they have answered? How would we answer the same question today? We answer it by telling others of our faith in Jesus and how He was raised from the dead. Our faith and hope are hope-less if it were not for Jesus’ resurrection (I Corinthians 15:14). Our answer must include how and why we’ve come to the conclusion that Jesus made it possible for us to have eternal life, all the suffering in this world is worth it for His sake, and He’s
sitting at the right hand of God today. We need to live in such an obvious way that it will elicit an inquiry from people as to why we have this kind of hope.

Thought question: What could be implied if no one ever asks you about the hope within you?

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