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1 Peter 3:15
“In your hearts honor 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.”
Christians are called to suffer for the sake of the Lord Jesus, to maintain their confession of faith in Christ and to follow His instructions even when they are persecuted and mistreated (1 Peter 2:21–23). When we suffer for the sake of righteousness, we should not fear those who can inflict pain on us, for no earthly power can ultimately harm us (3:13–14). After all, God is for us in Christ Jesus, nothing can separate us from His love, and we will inherit the earth at the last day (Matt. 5:5; Rom. 8:31–39).
We are not to fear those who would persecute or harass us, but more is required of us when people cause us suffering for doing good. As today’s verse tells us, we are to “honor Christ the Lord as holy” in our hearts (1 Peter 3:15). Believers are to regard their Savior as morally perfect and set apart as the King of kings and Lord of lords. His perfection and sovereign rule qualify Him to sit as the supreme Judge over all creation, judgment having been entrusted to Him by God the Father Almighty (John 5:19–29). Thus, we must reverently fear Him by remembering who He is, the authority He has, and the promises that He has made. Doing this, in fact, will enable us to fulfill the admonition not to fear lesser powers (1 Peter 3:14). If we fear Christ properly, we will understand that we have nothing to fear from anyone who would seek to hurt us. We will know that because we fear Christ by faith, when He returns we will be raised in victory over all earthly powers who have tormented us.
We who fear Jesus will live differently than those around us, prompting some of them to ask us why. When that happens, Peter says, we are to be “always . . . prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks [us] for a reason for the hope that is in [us]” (v. 15). This admonition establishes the discipline of apologetics, the defense of the faith. Christianity is not a blind leap into the dark; there are good reasons for our beliefs, including eyewitness testimony to the events and person at the heart of our faith and nature’s witness to the Creator (Ps. 19:1–6; Luke 1:1–4; Rom. 1:19–20; 1 Cor. 15:1–11; 2 Peter 1:16–21; 1 John 1:1–4). Believers are to be ready to give at least some basic reasons that Christianity is true, and the Holy Spirit may use the defense as part of His drawing an unbeliever to faith (1 Peter 3:15). Matthew Henry comments, “Christians should have a reason ready for their Christianity, that it may appear they are not actuated either by folly or fancy.”
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
Matthew Henry writes, “The hope and faith of a Christian are defensible against all the world. There may be a good reason given for religion; it is not a fancy but a rational scheme revealed from heaven, suited to all the necessities of miserable sinners, and centering entirely in the glory of God through Jesus Christ.” Many good works on apologetics are available to help us prepare ourselves to give an answer for the hope that is within us.
For further study
- Psalm 53:1
- Acts 17:16–34
- Acts 18:24–28
- Philippians 1:7
The bible in a year
- 2 Kings 25–1 Chron. 2
- John 7:53–8:11