Hope as Your Apologetic

To Defend is to Proclaim

First Peter 3:15 reads: "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." This is the verse that is commonly pointed to by Christian apologists (those who argue on behalf of the trueness of the Christian faith). They say, passionately, that Christians must be able to defend what they believe. It is not enough just to believe. That belief must be explained, or as the verse implies, defended. Now God does not need defending (Acts 17:25). That is not the purpose of the verse here. The defense spoken of, of course, is your proclamation of the Gospel. That Christ came to the world to redeem humans through his work at the cross is now the reason we live and breathe. However, because the Gospel is "foolishness" to those who do not yet understand it (1 Cor. 1:18), it must be defended. This is how people who do not believe come to belief. They hear about Christ from those who believe.

A Non-Typical Emphasis

Now maybe you have read this verse before, or it has been pointed out to you in a sermon. Usually, the preacher or teacher explicating this passage explains only the first half of the verse. This happens for two reasons: (1) The active part of this verse is at the beginning: "Be prepared to give an answer." That is simple enough to understand, giving the reader a picture of what it might look like to share/defend the gospel. (2) The preacher assumes that you already understand the back-half of the verse: "For the hope that you have." Now I want to try and prove that the back-half is the more important half. Why? Quite simply because without the back-half, there is no front.

There is No Defending Without Hoping

It is simple enough to be pragmatic when reasoning with someone about your faith. Why do I believe? Because I believe in Jesus. Though conversations will surely go deeper and be more nuanced, the basis for the discussion is the same. But what is implied by this is that these conversations will happen automatically. By emphasizing only the first half of the verse, one misses out on the reason conversations start in the first place. The only way you will get to defend your "hope" is by having hope in the first place.

Peter breaks down our "faith" quite simply here. He says that your new life is now defined by hope. Hope in what? Jesus. That is the gospel. Religious people say "What must I do to get right with God?" Gospel-centered people say, "I am now right with God, what must I do?" Do you see the difference? One is highly self-centered and is (precisely) self-righteous. The other is God-centered and understands that righteousness comes not from our work but from the work of Christ (bringing us into right relationship with God). And this work is continual, keeping us righteous forever. That is what we have our hope in. So though the back half of 1 Peter 3:15 is implied, it cannot be forgotten.

The implication of this is that you must aim to show that hope you have in Christ in everything you do. For that is what people will question. They won't question you because you have lots of knowledge or because you are eloquent. People seek after your answer because you have something different to offer. You hope in something that is unseen. And that is what they want. They sense that behind your hope is something glorious, something that will save them.

What Hope Looks Like

But here’s the problem. What good are we when we hope in the same things the world hopes in? If you put your trust in the same things your neighbor does, what reason would he have to inquire about you and, more importantly, Jesus? Though this might sound a bit mysterious, I think you know what I am talking about. Test yourself: Do you hope in money or in TV? Do you hope in sex or in getting drunk? Do you hope in hatred or in jealousy? You can determine this two ways.

First, look at your heart and ask yourself point blank if something has become an idol in your life. A car? A vacation home? Partying with friends? Communicating only through gossip or negativity? Ask God to help you determine what in your life keeps you from hoping only in him.

Second, look at yourself from the world's perspective. Let's say ten unchurched people watched a 30 minute video of your life. And they see everything. The way you spend money, the things you do in your off-time, the way you treat people. Would they say your life looks any differently than theirs? Now this does not mean you must act completely oppositely from the world. We must pay taxes, provide for our families, wear clothing, etc. Some cultural immersion is necessary and good. But are you so culturally immersed that you are indistinguishable from everyone else? Test yourself.

Get Drunk or Sing Songs?

Here is a good example. In Ephesians 5:18-19 Paul writes: "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord." So Paul is saying that you should not get drunk and you should sing. What do those two things have to do with each other? Paul knew that in his day one of the main things people did was drink way too much. And when they did that, they sang. Literally. They would sing rousing drinking songs together. So Paul's recommendation is not all that odd. His imperative is that you not do what they are doing by getting drunk. Rather, stay sober and show where your hope is by singing to God! This will show that you hope in something eternal.

This is highly applicable to us today. Though I occasionally drink, I must be extremely weary about how much I drink. It must always be in moderation. If the unchurched see me get drunk, they'll just assume I am just like them. And to make it clear to them that I do not hope in drinking, I've got to be open about my faith. That is my singing.

Satan's Dread

Satan will not stand for us to live like the redeemed. He knows that our greatest opportunity to reach the lost is by the way in which we live. So be bold and strong. Hold each other accountable so that you may always show your hope in Christ. For hope is our best apologetic.