Here’s a passage some people wish couldn’t be found in Scripture…
“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.” 1 Peter 3:15
Those first three words, ‘Always be prepared’, are in the form of a command, so some want to stop reading for fear of what that preparation will lead to. But it’s not all that difficult an instruction if you understand the context of the mandate.
I take it to mean that Christians are directed to share their faith when people ask them what makes them tick, but we don’t need a doctorate in ministry to fulfill the injunction. Jim & Karen Covell and Victorya Michaels Rogers, in their book, “How to Talk About Jesus Without Freaking Out“, point out, and correctly I think, that “all God expects is for you to understand your own experience of God through Jesus and to be able to explain it…”
We don’t have to be scholars or have all the answers to the questions they may never ask. We just need to understand how we became a Christian and be willing to explain it. I touched on this topic in an earlier post, Walk Through the Door, and want to assure you, what we’re asked to do in this passage is not an overwhelmingly difficult task.
If someone asked you how you bought a house, you could offer a fairly easy explanation. You might not understand the working of the different industries, such as construction; lending; or real estate sales; that went into the process behind your purchase, but the basic facts would be pretty simple to relay. The same is true of the story of your salvation.
Need More Preparation?
- Get some Encouragement Efforts under your belt.
- Learn from failures, mine included.
- Go to the Word.
- Read the 2-part series on being Clear for Christ.
Still have doubts about being able to communicate your faith. Feel free to get in touch and we can talk about it.
