“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. 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 shamed of their slander.” -1 Peter 3:13-17

The Apostle Peter teaches believers that we are a counter-culture, with a different worship, a different way of seeing things. We are strangers and aliens in the world, the chosen ones called to be the children of God. And so we are a people with a mission, to live and speak the truth, to be salt and light, to be an influence for Christ. And that means being prepared.

The first exhortation Peter gives is to ‘set apart Christ as lord.’ This is stated as the alternative to fear; the reason we don’t live dominated by fear is because Christ is Lord. He is the one who is above all and directs ultimate ends. Peter then quotes from Isaiah 8:11-14. We are not to fear what people can do to us or what can happen to us. We are to give Jesus the place of lord and master in our lives which gives us perspective on what others can do, or on what can happen to us. Remember that the context of this letter is that of persecution, perhaps as simple as verbal criticism, but perhaps also physical and economic suffering. Believers are blessed by God, both now and forever.

The second exhortation is to ‘always be prepared to give the reason for the hope that we have.’ We are to be ready to give an ‘apology’ or defense; to explain to others the hope that we have. Hope is the ability to look and to live according to greater realities. (see Romans 8) Hope is a subjective state, but it also has content and substance to it. Since the world is ‘without hope’ there are times when we will be asked about our hope, and we are to be prepared. It is in those times we will be able to share the content of our hope that we have in Christ. We are to do this with ‘gentleness and respect - not overpowering with force, but trusting the Spirit to do His work. This is contrary to the knights of the middle ages who would convert at the point of a sword – an approach some would still like to use. In being prepared to answer we will have a clear conscience – we are doing the right thing in spite of negative pressure or circumstances.

And so, are we prepared? When that moment comes when someone asks us – “why are you handling this so well?” or “what do you believe about these things?” will we be ready. It behooves us to be ready to share our story and how it intersects with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God will use us for His glory – for we are to be His witnesses. We are wise and obedient to be prepared.

Pastor Tim, April 20, 2008