By: Abdu Murray
Christian apologists are known for quoting 1 Peter 3:15 as a hallmark passage of Scripture highlighting the importance of Christians being equipped to answer questions from non-believers. The verse says:
“[B]ut in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.”
It is from this verse, specifically the word “defense,” that the word apologetics comes from. The Greek word for “defense” is apologia. So, apologetics is the practice of giving a “defense” of the faith or the reasons we believe the Gospel.
Now, this verse’s immediate context addresses how Christians are to endure persecution and hardship for standing up for what is right and for the Gospel. But broader context of the chapter 3, and of the chapters preceding it, addresses how Christians are to live in general, both in persecution, in marriage, and in other relationships, as a witness to those around us. Thus, this specific verse admonishes all believers to be prepared to provide a defense of the Gospel and to do it with gentleness and respect. Apologists will often emphasize the part of the passage that says, “make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason”—and with good cause. But an oft-overlooked word in this passage recently sprang to life for me in a very powerful way.
I spoke at a church service called “Missions Sunday,” which highlighted the church’s past, present, and future missionary work throughout the world. Because that church supports Aletheia, I was a featured speaker I shared briefly about all the opportunities that God has blessed us with to reach non-believers with the credibility of the Gospel in a way that touches both the heart and the mind and to equip Christians to do the same. Now, I assumed that because the service focused on raising funds for missionary support (and had been announced as such for weeks before), there would likely be no non-Christians beating down the doors to attend the service. (Non-Christians understandably do not beat down the church doors to give money to missionaries.) Yet, because I recall my days as a Muslim seeking answers to my toughest questions and attending random church services just to get a chance to explore those answers, I always think that no matter how Christian-centered a service might be, there could be a seeker among the congregants. So, during my discussion that morning, I presented an argument about the superiority of Christianity’s concept of God as compared to the concept in other worldviews.
Afterward, I spoke with several people about the message and our ministry. A young man, who I will leave unnamed, was among those who wanted to speak with me. He stated right at the outset that he is an agnostic and that his main problem with Christianity is that the events recorded in the Bible are not attested to outside of the Bible and that the Bible was written by biased people. Without getting into the details, suffice it to say that we had a respectful, engaging conversation as we explored those issues and my new friend was soaking up the answers.
The reality of 1 Peter 3:15’s admonition to “always” be ready to give a defense was made manifest in my encounter. Consider the fact that it was Missions Sunday, the kind of fundraising service that doesn't exactly attract droves of non-Christians to church. And so it was quite unlikely that I would be answering a skeptic’s questions as I left the stage that morning. I am far more used to answering such questions on radio programs, at evangelistic meetings at universities, and after dialogues or debates. Yet there I was, having a lengthy, detailed, and largely surprising conversation with a skeptic who was asking questions not just to stump me, but to find out if there are real answers. The irony of the fact that I was doing missions work on “Missions Sunday” was not lost on me. It is that kind of irony that makes me love God's mirth and His providence.
The point I want to make is this: Every word of Scripture is to be taken seriously, even those words that seem to just “blend in” with the meaning of a familiar passage. That’s the beauty of studying God's word. Detailed study leaves us with a greater appreciation of not only the abstract truths, but also the practical applications. The Apostle Peter, under the Holy Spirit's inspiration, told us not only to provide a defense, but to "always" be ready to do so. That means that opportunities to share our faith will spring up in the most unlikely of times, often when we feel utterly unprepared to give a cogent and well-polished defense. But the preparation is not about polishing our presentation (though I'm sure that doesn't hurt). It's about being so familiar with the truth and the justifications for our beliefs that when opportunities surprise us, perhaps the profundity of our answers will surprise us even more.
Being ready to offer a defense that is targeted to those who need to overcome the obstacles of culture and family is a special part of Aletheia's mission. As we seek to move to full time service in support of the calling God has on our work your gift can play an important part in that vision. As we enter the summer months that typically bring a drop in support dollars even as our outreach efforts grow over those next weeks, your gift is even more critical to our being able to meet our ministry needs. You can make a gift today, by clicking the link below. Thanik you for standing with us as we not only prepare our defense...but stay ready to do so.