“But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but 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, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.”
1 Peter 3:14-16 ESV
I’d like to point something out in regard to Peter’s statement here that’s generally missing from today’s evangelical culture. The thing to remember is that we must always strive to be people of the book, not the world. that is to say, our thinking should be framed and informed by Scripture, not man’s latest error.
This passage is commonly understood in Christianity to be the primary exhortation to apologetics. We note that this isn’t to apologize for Christ but, rather, to have a reasoned defense to all attacks on Him and/or questions. To give a reasoned defense requires a reasonable person. The modern idea that Christians are emotional rather than logical is something that ought to be outright rejected. The problem is that a good many of us are indeed emotional rather than reasonable. A good many of us are worthy of what should be a slander.
Because of petty emotionalism and lack of wisdom, Christians are not regarded by the majority of nonbelievers as paragons reason. This verse is, therefore, a resounding smack upside the head for today’s believers and churches. It’s so easy to gripe about how the culture is going to the hot place and all that. It’s easy to point a scolding finger at the secular schools and partisan, vacuous media. But let’s break down this passage and see how we – the salt and light of the world – are doing.
“But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled…”
The Stoics don’t have a corner on the market of wise conduct in the face of life’s troubles. Think of the Lord’s sham trial and how He conducted Himself in the face of slander and abuse. Facing the horror of execution by being nailed to a tree, He, for the sake of the elect, restrained Himself. For the joy set before Him…for the love of you…and me…He endured.
The secret to a stoic Christianity is the knowledge of the Lord’s empty tomb. To be untroubled isn’t to be delusional, but completely and comprehensively aware of the truth of the gospel. Christians aren’t called to deny the reality of suffering, slander, abuse, and so on, but to accept them in light of what Christ has done. Yes, He said, we will have troubles in this world, but be of good cheer, He went on to assure us, because He has overcome the world. How exactly? By good intentions? By spiritual thoughts? No, but by the hard, cold fact of that empty tomb. Never forget that death couldn’t hold Him and He literally walked out of a dead man’s tomb and rules today over all things.
True Christianity is the power of the resurrection life meeting the still fallen world in the expectation of His triumphal return. Jesus Christ isn’t a fairy tale. He isn’t a cosmic Santa Claus. He’s the Lion of Judah who will one day surely judge all things. This truth causes us to tremble before Him…and yet in His grace, in all that love, at the foot of the cross, we weep great tears of gratitude because we know that real blessing is for those against whom the Lord will not count his sin.
So, grow up. Stand up. Emotional fragility isn’t what we’re called for in this world. He is risen…for you! Live like it and stop being tossed around by every little problem. Stay prepared. Put on the whole armor of God. Whining, petty, wimpy Christianity isn’t a life fit for the Lord’s conquerors.
“But in your hearts honor Christ as holy…”
Sanctify Him in your heart, in other words.
A question clears this up: if you were to ask those around you what the most important thing in your life is, would it be the honor of the Lord or something else? It’s really that easy.
My mother passed away many years ago but she loved her children with a total love of near self-abandonment. If you ever asked, “did your mother love you” the query would be met with immediate shock because the answer is so patently obvious. It should be this way with us too.
Does so and so love Jesus Christ above all else?
If the question takes even a second to consider then the answer is no. Why? Because what is pleasing to Him as Lord is always holy and good and that should consume us. Now, granted, this isn’t meant to shame the reader so that they lose hope. Certainly not! On the contrary, it’s meant as a proverbial wake-up call that leads to repentance and a deepening of our faith in Him who saves us.
“…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…”
The greatest evangelist is the one whose life so honors Christ that unbelievers are compelled to ask about the hope that pours forth from that untroubled, faithful heart for all to see. Having all the answers is nice, yes. Having a deep reservoir of historical facts, theological proofs, and philosophical reasons, is quite a nice thing indeed. But all that can lead to great pride. More still, that’s not the point of the verse. The point of it is that throughout suffering and life’s general wear and tear that we abide in Him in such a way that compels unbelievers to stop in their tracks and wonder. They see the real deal when they see one whose heart is totally dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Also, gentleness and respect doesn’t mean what the world wants it to mean. The whole context proves that it certainly and cannot mean: don’t challenge the foundation of unbelief. To tell people that Jesus Christ is Lord and Lord of all, all the time and everywhere, is a truly offensive thing to the self-worshipping world. To alter this fact of facts, to refuse to “push the antithesis” between Christ and chaos, isn’t faithfulness to Him but treason. There are no multiple paths to God. Only in Christ and the repentance of sin is there salvation from the well-deserved wrath that is surely to come. This is the core and foundation of our hope because “blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin (Romans 4:8).”
Gentleness and respect is the manner in which we tell the world the means through which they can be saved. Never confuse these or else the salt will lose its saltiness and you will betray the One whom you call Lord.
“…so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.”
And all this makes sense of why you’d be so slandered and reviled in the first place. The world loves its sin and will naturally hate those who call sin what it is. Just as a criminal avoids police officers, so will those who worship and serve themselves or some created thing avoid you provided that you are the aroma of Christ. And if that’s not possible, they’ll abuse you in either word or deed. Much like Patrick Henry said about the colonies and the British crown, “is peace so sweet that it should be purchased at the price of chains?” No. The Christian seeks to live in such a way that men and women are moved to ask more about the Jesus to whom you sanctify in your heart, or to hate you for it just as they hate Him.
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