Defend Our Hope In Jesus With Meekness And Fear - 1 Peter 3:15
How Should We Defend Our Hope In Jesus?
You may know me well enough by now to know that once I get started on a topic I tend to get stuck on a topic. Well, that topic is apologetics. Apologetics comes from the term, defense transliterated apologia in the original Greek language from 1 Peter 3:15.
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense
to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.
1 Peter 3:15
Defense (apologia) as used in 1 Peter 3:15 means to give a verbal defense, speech, or a reasoned statement or argument. Peter instructed us to always be ready, at any time and in any place, to defend our hope instilled in us by our faith and relationship with Jesus Christ. I knew these words from 1 Peter 3:15, but the words I somehow missed when reading it in the past were “with meekness and fear.”
How do we give an argument with meekness and fear? How does all of that go together? We Must First Understand Meekness And Fear.
Meekness
Let’s talk about how we would define meekness in our English language. Meekness in English often speaks of weakness and often is defined as someone who is submissive in nature. This is where we get stumped in how to give an argument and be weak and submissive at the same time. The issue here boils down to language differences and terminology meanings shifting over time.
When Peter wrote this, his audience from his day did not hear meekness the same way we hear it. Peter’s original audience understood meekness not so much based on outward actions or a person’s natural disposition, but instead the heart and inner attitude of the man or woman towards God.
I love how my Complete Word Study Dictionary of the New Testament explains meekness.
1. “It is a condition of the mind and heart that demonstrates gentleness, not in weakness, but in power. It is a balance born in strength or character.”
2. “according to Aristotle … the middle standing between two extremes, getting angry without reason, and not getting angry at all. Therefore… getting angry at the right time, with the right measure, and for the right reason.”
I am sure you can see biblical meekness and modern English meekness are not at all the same thing. This is one of those instances where we could completely miss the point if we only looked at the English language and didn’t refer back to the language of the biblical author’s day. In modern English, meekness seems to be about the person and their outward display of a natural characteristic. Biblical meekness is about the inward confidence, trust, and reliance on our supernatural and trustworthy God.
Fear
Peter also instructed us to give our defense or make our argument with fear. Fear as used in 1 Peter 3:15 can mean fear, terror, reverence, respect, and honor.
Looking at the context in relation to “meekness and fear.” It is quite certain that just as meekness was directed toward our heart and attitude regarding God, so is fear. Fear of the Lord is a necessary element of our relationship with God and our ability to give a defense or make an argument at the right time, with the right measure, and for the right reason.
Why? Because fear of the Lord is directly connected to wisdom.
Look at these 3 proverbs about the fear of the Lord.
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Proverbs 9:10
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom,
and before honor is humility.
Proverbs 15:33
We are called to be ready at all times in any place to defend our hope in Jesus. We need wisdom to know the right time to speak or not to speak. Wisdom gives us the discernment to know the right measure of argument needed. And yes, wisdom shows us what is the right reason to give a defense or argument.
After venturing into how we defend our hope in Jesus, I arrive at three main points necessary for our readiness.
3 Main Points for readiness to defend our hope:
1) A real relationship with Jesus so we hear His voice and sense His prompting as we face reasons to defend our hope in this world.
2) Reading, studying, and knowing the Bible so we are equipped to defend our hope.
3) Believing that God’s word is truth.
The fact that I believe God’s Word to be truth is yet another argument I give as my reason for the hope in me.
I am reminded of Pontius Pilate’s question to Jesus so long ago. “What is truth?” (John 18:38) While Pilate may not have realized the answer to his question stood before him, He determined what was not in Jesus. Two times Pilate declared, “I find no fault in Him” in John 19:4 and 6.
Pilate didn’t see lies standing before him. He saw truth. Last week in my blog post, to The Authority Of God’s Word Is The Reason For The Hope That Is In Me, we looked at the divinity of Jesus. We addressed the fact that in the beginning Jesus was the Word of God and that the Word was made flesh. (John 1:1, 14)
John’s gospel also shows us that:
Truth came through Jesus. (John 1:17)
Jesus called Himself the Truth. (John 14:6)
In prayer to God the father, Jesus declared, “Your word is truth.” (John 17:17)
Psalm 119 specifically states the truth of God’s Word.
Psalm 119:142… Your law is truth.
Psalm 119:151 - … Your commandments are truth.
Psalm 119: 160 – The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.
Notice that the Word of God is eternal and His Word is truth. God and His Word have always been and will always be. Hebrews 13:8 says, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
You and I will never be able to defend our hope without the belief that God’s Word is truth, was truth, and will always be truth. If truth wavers or shifts according to time, culture, or circumstance, we have no solid footing on which to base our arguments. God’s word is truth and does not change.
Dear Sister in Christ, we must actively root ourselves into the depths of the solid foundation of God’s word, that we know how to defend our hope in Jesus.
I want to share a book I recently discovered that I recommend to be very helpful on the topic of apologetics, Mama Bear Apologetics. (This is an affiliate link. I might earn a commission if you purchase from my link. Thanks!)
