15 But in your hearts revere 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,
The Amplified renders it this way “set Christ apart as holy—acknowledging Him, giving Him first place in your lives as Lord.” The first qualification of a Christian defender is to acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus Christ. It is in knowing Jesus Christ that sets the heart aflame in reaching out to others with the same fire of love that he/she receives.
Notice that the acknowledgement of Lordship is not of the ‘head’ per se, it is of the ‘heart’. It is not only in the mental agreement or assent to the doctrines of salvation by faith. But it is the power of God that affects the heart and soul of a man in the process of accepting Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Now with that stage set, the Christian is ready to speak a defense of what he believes to be true and real. Nonetheless, there is a caveat here. “Always be prepared to give an answer,” is a phrase that Christians don’t normally take to heart. There is a need for study and preparation for every question. Therefore, it is imperative that Christians take time to study the Bible and read theological books (not motivational books with scattered Bible verses). It boggles my mind how even the Quran acknowledges Christians/Jews to be the “people of the Scripture” (Surah 3: 64, 65, 70, 71, 81, 98, 99; 5:58, 65, 68, 77). The early Christians did not just believe the Bible, they read it. They were known for it!
Also, in defending the faith, it is of no use “if we cut off the nose of people before we give them a rose to smell” (an adaptation of an old Indian proverb). It is of greater honor to lose a debate than to win a debate with full of pride and arrogance in one’s demeanor against unbelievers. The picture of “gentleness and respect” is that of a lamb that seeks to answer not just the questions but to fully embrace the unbelievers with the love of Jesus Christ.
Prayer: God, grant us your wisdom and knowledge in the reading of your Holy Scriptures. Give us a passion to know the truth and probe deeper into the difficult issues raised by our fellow neighbors. In Jesus name, amen.
