Great Themes of the Bible Series

#7 The ‘Witness’ of a Christian

"But in your hearts set apart 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, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander."  1 Peter 3:15-17

(3:13-17) Introduction: this passage begins a new section dealing with persecution. Genuine believers suffer all kinds of persecution: being ridiculed and mocked, ignored and bypassed, isolated and cut off, abused and beaten, imprisoned and murdered. All genuine believers face some persecution at one time or another, all to varying degrees. The question is this: How can we bear up under the persecution? How can we be assured that we will stand up under the persecution and be counted faithful by God? How can we be assured that we will endure and inherit the hope of eternal life, of living with Christ forever and ever? There is only one way: we must stand up for Christ no matter the suffering or its ferociousness.

         1.  First, do what is right and good (v.13-14).

         2.  Second, set your heart on Christ and the great hope He gives (v.15).

         3.  Third, readily answer and defend the hope of salvation (v.15).

         4.  Fourth, keep a good conscience (v.16-17).

(3:13-14) Persecution—Zeal—Good Works: These verses introduce the third main section of 1 Peter—God’s grace in suffering. They introduce the important spiritual principle that the fear of the Lord conquers every other fear. Peter quoted Isaiah 8:13-14 to back up his admonition: “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord” (1 Peter 3:15, niv).

The setting of the Isaiah quotation is significant. Ahaz, King of Judah, faced a crisis because of an impending invasion by the Assyrian army. The kings of Israel and Syria wanted Ahaz to join them in an alliance, but Ahaz refused; so Israel and Syria threatened to invade Judah! Behind the scenes, Ahaz confederated himself with Assyria! The Prophet Isaiah warned him against ungodly alliances and urged him to trust God for deliverance. “Sanctify the Lord of hosts [armies] Himself; and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread” (Isa. 8:13).

As Christians, we are faced with crises, and we are tempted to give in to our fears and make the wrong decisions. But if we “sanctify Christ as Lord” in our hearts, we need never fear men or circumstances. Our enemies might hurt us, but they cannot harm us. Only we can harm ourselves if we fail to trust God. Generally speaking, people do not oppose us if we do good; but even if they do, it is better to suffer for righteousness’ sake than to compromise our testimony. Peter discussed this theme in detail in 1 Peter 4:12-19.

Instead of experiencing fear as we face the enemy, we can experience blessing, if Jesus Christ is Lord in our hearts. The word “happy” in 1 Peter 3:14 is the same as “blessed” in Matthew 5:10ff. This is a part of the “joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8).

When Jesus Christ is Lord of our lives, each crisis becomes an opportunity for witness. We are “ready always to give an answer.” Our English word apology comes from the Greek word translated “answer,” but it does not mean “to say I am sorry.” Rather, it means “a defense presented in court.” “Apologetics” is the branch of theology that deals with the defense of the faith. Every Christian should be able to give a reasoned defense of his hope in Christ, especially in hopeless situations. A crisis creates the opportunity for witness when a believer behaves with faith and hope, because the unbelievers will then sit up and take notice.

This witness must be given “with meekness and fear [respect]” and not with arrogance and a know-it-all attitude. We are witnesses, not prosecuting attorneys! We must also be sure that our lives back up our defense. Peter did not suggest that Christians argue with lost people, but rather that we present to the unsaved an account of what we believe and why we believe it, in a loving manner. The purpose is not to win an argument but to win lost souls to Christ.

What does it mean to “sanctify Christ as Lord” in our hearts? It means to turn everything over to Him, and to live only to please Him and glorify Him. It means to fear displeasing Him rather than fear what men might do to us. How wonderfully this approach simplifies our lives! It is Matthew 6:33 and Romans 12:1-2 combined into a daily attitude of faith that obeys God’s Word in spite of consequences. It means being satisfied with nothing less than the will of God in our lives (John 4:31-34). One evidence that Jesus Christ is Lord in our lives is the readiness with which we witness to others about Him and seek to win them to Christ.

The first answer to persecution is to do what is right and good. Note the verse: it actually says to become “a follower of that which is good.” The word “follower” (zelotai) means zealot. The believer is to be so zealous for what is right that he is actually known as a zealot for good. Imagine being gripped with so much passion and zeal for good that one becomes known as a zealot! This is the challenge of this passage. Several attitudes toward doing good permeate society.

Þ Some persons have a care less attitude toward goodness. Doing what is right and good matters little. What is right and good is rebelled against, ignored, cursed, and rejected. The person has little conscience about right and wrong. His values are ever so weak. He could care less if he does what is right and good.

Þ Some persons have a selfish attitude toward goodness. If doing what is right and good benefits them, then they do it. If it helps them, meets their need and enlarges their holdings, then they do what is right. But if it costs them, demands discipline and control, and takes away from their pleasure and holdings, then they reject the good and refuse to do what is right.

Þ Some persons have a surface or sentimental attitude to what is good and right. They readily profess to believe in what is good and right and want to be known as moral and upright. But behind the scenes they go ahead and live like they want and do their own thing.

Some persons, of course, have a zealous attitude toward what is right and good. They have committed their lives to seeking and doing what they should. This is exactly what Scripture is saying: “Be a zealot—be a fanatic—be a passionate follower—after that which is good and right.” Note three points.

     1.   The believer who does good will be less likely to suffer persecution (1 Peter 3:13). Most people will appreciate the good that we do, including our neighbors and civil authorities. Doing good will keep us from getting into trouble with the law and from offending our neighbors, fellow workers, and community. Therefore, the chance of our being persecuted becomes less likely.

     2.   The believer who suffers persecution will be happy, that is, blessed by God. How can a person who is suffering persecution be happy and blessed? When a person focuses his mind and life upon the things of this world, they can be snatched from him overnight. The person can be stricken with a disease, suffer a heart attack, have an accident, go through bankruptcy, lose everything he has through an economic slump or stock market crash. A black Monday can happen anytime and anywhere in this world. A person of the world can suffer such a crushing blow that he is destroyed and left hopeless and helpless in life, but not a true believer. The mind and life of the true believer are focused upon Jesus Christ; therefore, no matter what he suffers, he still has his most cherished possession—Jesus Christ, the very Son of God. He knows that Jesus Christ is going to look after him and take care of him: that Christ is going to work everything out for good.

     The very same thing happens when the believer is persecuted for righteousness’ sake. His mind and life are focused upon Christ; therefore, he possesses Christ and all the promises of Christ. He possesses such promises as these:

Þ God will work all things out for good for him.

Þ God will provide all the necessities of life for him.

Þ God will give him a very special spirit of glory to rest upon him.

Þ The life of Christ will be manifested in his flesh.

Þ God will give him a great reward in heaven.

Þ The Lord will take him on to heaven and preserve him through all of eternity when the time comes for him to leave this earth.

Note how wonderful and glorious these promises are. There are so many more promises, so many in fact that, as John the Apostle says, the world itself could not contain enough shelves to hold the books if all the promises of God were written out (cp. John 21:25).

     The believer is not to fear nor be troubled by the terror of persecution. No matter what the suffering is—ridicule, mockery, abuse, assault, rejection, being bypassed, imprisoned, or martyred—if the believer is persecuted because he stands up for Christ, he is not to fear. God will meet his need. God has great things in store for the believer; therefore, God shall never forsake him.

Þ God will strengthen him to bear the persecution.

Þ God will use his suffering as a strong testimony for Christ and touch the hearts of some of the persecutors.

Þ God will use his suffering to make him a far stronger believer, to make him more and more secure in Christ.

(3:15) Persecution—Dedication: the second answer to persecution is to set your heart upon Christ and the great hope He gives to believers. The believer is to receive Christ into his heart. Christ alone is to fill the heart of the believer. The believer’s heart is to be sanctified, that is, filled with Christ and focused upon Christ. Why? Because Christ is his only hope of salvation. Jesus Christ promises to save all who receive Him into their hearts. Therefore, if a person wishes to be saved, he must have Jesus Christ in his heart.

     The point is this: if Jesus Christ is in the heart of the believer, then the believer has the greatest of hopes, the hope of salvation and of living forever. It is this hope that stirs the believer to bear persecution. Christ, who lives within the believer, strengthens the believer. How? Christ stirs the hope of salvation within the heart of the believer and arouses him to endure the suffering no matter how fierce and threatening. Christ arouses great assurance within the believer, the assurance that the hope of salvation is true and that it is right around the corner. The person who has truly sanctified Christ within his heart loves Christ and wants to please Christ. He knows that Christ has died for him and is going to conform him into the very image of the Son of God Himself. Therefore, the true believer wants to please Christ. The believer would never think of displeasing Christ nor of hurting and causing Christ pain, especially by buckling under to persecution and denying Him. But remember: only the person who has sanctified Christ within his heart can stand fast against persecution. Our hearts must be filled with Christ and focused upon Christ to bear suffering for righteousness’ sake.

(3:15) Persecution—Witnessing: the third answer to persecution is to readily answer and defend the hope of salvation to every man, but to do so with meekness and fear. The word “answer” or “defend” (apologian) means just that, to answer back or to give a defense of the believer’s hope (A.T. Robertson. Word Pictures In The New Testament, Vol.6, p.114).

     1.   The believer is to answer every man who asks him about his hope of salvation and of living forever. He is to answer every...

     The believer is to miss no opportunity to witness for Christ. He is not to shirk his duty in witnessing, and he is not to neglect or ignore anyone. Day by day as he crosses the path of others, he is to give an answer and defend the hope of salvation to all who ask and will listen.

     2.   The believer is to be ready to answer and defend the hope of salvation. This means preparation; it means study, meditation, and prayer. The believer must study the Scripture, study all about God and Christ, all about the salvation and promises of God. The believer must know the Scripture and live in prayer in order to be ready to witness.

The great tragedy is that most professing believers do not know what they believe. They know little about Christ, what it is that makes Him so unique and superior. Few can witness and lead anyone else to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Few are willing to take the time or exert the effort to study God’s Word and to learn the truth. Most are just not willing to pay the price to learn about God and Christ and to prepare themselves to be dynamic witnesses for Christ.

     3.   The believer is to be very careful about how he answers and defends the hope of salvation. He is to answer people with a spirit of meekness and of fear before God.

Þ By meekness is meant a spirit of tenderness and softness, of care and love, of humility and brokenness. But note: meekness also means a spirit of strength and courage. Meekness does not put up with sin and shame, license and indulgence. It does all it can to relieve and correct evil and mistreatment. Too often witnessing is done in a spirit of superiority and arrogance, argument and controversy, criticism and divisiveness.

Þ By fear is meant fearing God lest one misrepresent or twist the truth of God’s salvation. It means to hold God in such reverence and awe that one bears witness only in a spirit of constant prayer and dependence upon God. One knows and acknowledges that God is the Source of salvation; He alone can save a person. Therefore, one is ever so careful to present only the truth of God’s Word and of salvation.

Too often witnessing is done in a spirit of pride and bitterness, of pushing oneself forward instead of God. The spirit of fearing God is all but forgotten; God is not reverenced: the truth of His salvation is twisted to make oneself more acceptable and recognized.

The point is this: the answer to persecution is to bear a clear and strong witness for Christ, but to do so with meekness and in the fear of God. By bearing a strong but gentle witness, those who oppose us will understand more about why we hold to such a glorious hope. In some cases, some of them will even be saved.

Alan Stibbs has an excellent statement on this point that is well worth our noting:

“We have here some practical guidance concerning Christian witness. It is wrong to be always preaching at people. The Christian wife has been encouraged by Peter to seek to win her unbelieving husband without speaking to him on the subject (1 Peter 3:1). But the whole situation is changed if the other person asks for an explanation. Also, if Christians are on the alert, they may often rightly discern an implied question in some passing comment. Then is the time to speak; but one can do so only if one is seeking to be ready.

“The Christian is then to engage, not in an aggressive attack on the other person’s will or prejudice, but in a logical account...or reasoned explanation of the hope that is [in him]” (The First Epistle General of Peter. “The Tyndale New Testament Commentaries,” p.136).

(3:16-17) Persecution—Conscience: the fourth answer to persecution is to keep a good conscience. Note the reference...

·  to a good or clear conscience.

·  to a good conversation, that is, good conduct or behavior.

The only way a person can have a clear conscience is to have good conduct. If the believer is to stand against persecution, he must have a clear conscience, and to have a clear conscience he must have good conduct and behavior. The believer must be living a good life; his conduct and behavior must be holy, righteous, pure, decent, upright, and above reproach. He must have a conscience and a behavior that are without blame, that cannot be justly blamed with any sin or evil. Note three points.

     1.   Those who oppose and persecute believers will be put to shame by the believer’s good behavior and clear conscience. Some people will always oppose and persecute believers. If a person really lives for Jesus Christ, his righteousness and self-denial convicts those who love this world and its pleasures and possessions. Therefore, they often persecute the believer, ridicule, mock, isolate, abuse, imprison, or kill him. The worldly do all they can to stop the witness of the believer. But note: eventually those who oppose and persecute the believer will be put to shame. The good and righteous behavior of the believer will vindicate the believer either in this world or in the next world. The persecutor will stand ashamed of his attacks against the believer; the idea is that he will be eternally shamed.

     2.   It is better for believers to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. This is only common sense: a person can bear suffering much easier if he is suffering for a good and just cause. It is very difficult to stand up under suffering when it is an unjust and evil cause. Note also that it is the will of God for believers to suffer, but not for doing evil. God wants believers living righteous and pure lives and He wants them witnessing for Him even if they do face persecution for it. This is the will of God; therefore, believers are to keep a good conscience before God.

In this passage we can see how Peter was soaked in the Old Testament; there are two Old Testament foundations for it.  It is not so much that he actually quotes them, as that he could not have written the passage at all unless the Old Testament had been in his mind.  The very first sentence is a reminiscence of Isaiah 50:9:  "Behold, the Lord God helps me; who will declare me guilty?"  Again, when Peter is talking about the banishing of fear, he is thinking of Isaiah 8:13, "But the Lord of hosts, him you shall regard as holy; let him be your fear, and let him be your dread."

There are three great conceptions in this passage.

(i)  Peter begins by insisting on a passionate love of goodness.  A man may have more than one attitude to goodness.  It may be to him a burden or a bore or something which he vaguely desires but the price of which he is not willing to pay in terms of effort.  The word we have translated an ardent lover is zelotes; which is often translated Zealot.  The Zealots were the fanatical patriots, who were pledged to liberate their native land by every possible means.  They were prepared to take their lives in their hands, to sacrifice ease and comfort, home and loved ones, in their passionate love for their country.  What Peter is saying is:  "Love goodness with that passionate intensity with which the most fanatical patriot loves his country."  Sir John Seeley said, "No heart is pure that is not passionate; no virtue safe which is not enthusiastic."  It is only when a man falls in love with goodness that the wrong things lose their fascination and their power.

(ii)  Peter goes on to speak about the Christian attitude to suffering.  It has been well pointed out that we are involved in two kinds of suffering.  Thereis the suffering in which we are involved because of our humanity.  Because we are men, there come physical suffering, death, sorrow, distress of mind and weariness and pain of body.  But there is also the suffering in which we may be involved because of our Christianity.  There may be unpopularity, persecution, sacrifice for principle and the deliberate choosing of the difficult way, the necessary discipline and toil of the Christian life.  Yet the Christian life has a certain blessedness which runs through it all.  What is the reason for it?

(iii)  Peter's answer is this.  The Christian is the man to whom God and Jesus Christ are the supremacies in life; his relationship to God in Christ is life's greatest value.  If a man's heart is set on earthly things, possessions, happiness, pleasure, ease and comfort, he is of all men most vulnerable.  For, in the nature of things, he may lose these things at any moment.  Such a man is desperately easily hurt.  On the other hand, if he gives to Jesus Christ the unique place in his life, the most precious thing for him is his relationship to God and nothing can take that from him.  Therefore, he is completely secure.

So, then, even in suffering the Christian is still blessed.  When the suffering is for Christ, he is demonstrating his loyalty to Christ and is sharing his sufferings.  When the suffering is part of the human situation, it still cannot despoil him of the most precious things in life.  No man escapes suffering, but for the Christian suffering cannot touch the things which matter most of all.

In a hostile and suspicious world it was inevitable that the Christian would be called upon to defend the faith he held and the hope by which he lived.  Here Peter has certain things to say about this Christian defence.

(i)  It must be reasonable.  It is a logos that the Christian must give, and a logos is a reasonable and intelligent statement of his position.  A cultivated Greek believed that it was the mark of an intelligent man that he was able to give and to receive a logos concerning his actions and belief.  As Bigg puts it, he was expected "intelligently and temperately to discuss matters of conduct."  To do so we must know what we believe; we must have thought it out; we must be able to state it intelligently and intelligibly.  Our faith must be a first-hand discovery and not a second-hand story.  It is one of the tragedies of the modern situation that there are so many Church members who, if they were asked what they believe, could not tell, and who, if they were asked why they believe it, would be equally helpless.  The Christian must go through the mental and spiritual toil of thinking out his faith, so that he can tell what he believes and why.

(ii)  His defence must be given with gentleness.  There are many people who state their beliefs with a kind of arrogant belligerence.  Their attitude is that anyone who does not agree with them is either a fool or a knave and they seek to ram their beliefs down other people's throats.  The case for Christianity must be presented with winsomeness and with love, and with that wise tolerance which realizes that it is not given to any man to possess the whole truth.  "There are as many ways to the stars as there are men to climb them."  Men may be wooed into the Christian faith when they cannot be bullied into it.

(iii)  His defence must be given with reverence.  That is to say, any argument in which the Christian is involved must be carried on in a tone which God can hear with joy.  No debates have been so acrimonious as theological debates; no differences have caused such bitterness as religious differences.  In any presentation of the Christian case and in any argument for the Christian faith, the accent should be the accent of love.

(iv)  The only compelling argument is the argument of the Christian life.  Let a man so act that his conscience is clear.  Let him meet criticism with a life which is beyond reproach.  Such conduct will silence slander and disarm criticism.  "A saint," as someone has said, "is someone whose life makes it easier to believe in God."

Verses 14b-16 instruct us how we should conduct ourselves in suffering to make our suffering a blessing, both to others and to ourselves.

The first principle: if we are to be blessed in suffering, we must suffer for the sake of righteousness and not for sin.

20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer [for it] you patiently endure it, this [finds] favor with God (1 Peter 2:20).

14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed (1 Peter 3:14a).

17 For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong (1 Peter 3:17)

The only virtuous suffering is innocent suffering, suffering for the sake of righteousness. If we are to be blessed in suffering, we must suffer for righteousness.

Our second principle: we should make the most of suffering by using the occasion for the proclamation of the gospel.

The last words of verse 14 and the first few words of verse 15 are a reference to Isaiah 8. In these verses, God warns the prophet Isaiah not to buckle under to the opposition he receives in response to the message God gave him to proclaim. Peter uses these words to remind us that we too should not be frightened or intimidated by the opposition we receive from men. We are to faithfully embrace and proclaim the truths of God’s Word.

Collapsing under the pressure of persecution is a very real danger (see Matthew 24:9-10). It would seem as though this were the great danger faced by the Hebrew Christians to whom the Book of Hebrews was addressed (see 10:32-39). When the Old Testament prophets were divinely commissioned, they were instructed to stand firm in the face of opposition and to faithfully proclaim the truth God revealed to them (see Isaiah 6:1-7; 8:1-22; Jeremiah 1:4-19; Ezekiel 2:4-7).

Peter is concerned that when things get tough, we will be tempted to be silent or to take the edge off our witness. Who should understand this better than Peter who, under pressure, denied being associated with His Lord (see Matthew 26:69-75). Now he writes that times of persecution are often occasions for bearing witness to the Savior; these are the times we dare not be intimidated so we deny our Lord, remain silent, or dilute the message of the gospel.

The third principle: the suffering saint must settle the question of whom he serves.

When persecution arises because of righteousness, we often find strong resistance and opposition. The pressure is to renounce or revise the message to make it less offensive. Our response to this pressure is a reflection of whom we most fear. We either fear God or men.

Jesus put it this way:

24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he become as his teacher, and the slave as his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household! 26 Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear [whispered] in [your] ear, proclaim upon the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And [yet] not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Therefore do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 Everyone therefore who shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:24-33).

If we fear men who are able to kill us, we will be shaken and silenced by their opposition. If we fear God, we will not be shaken or silenced but faithfully persist in proclaiming the gospel. Persecution forces us to settle the question of whom we fear—God or men.

The fourth principle: we must be ready.

Peter says we are always to be ready to give an account. Readiness involves a couple of elements. First, it involves expectation or eagerness (see Matthew 24:44; Luke 12:40). In referring to this kind of anticipation, we say we are “ready and waiting.” This anticipation keeps us alert to the opportunities so they do not pass us by unexpectedly. Second, it involves preparation (see Exodus 19:15), ability, and resolve (1 Peter 4:5).

Our fifth principle: we must be ready to respond to those who ask.

There are times when we should seek to stimulate interest and gently introduce the subject of spiritual things, but Peter’s emphasis here (like Paul’s in Colossians 4:6) is that the gospel should be given when men ask us for an explanation. Peter assumes persecution will precipitate opportunities for witness. Peter’s words encompass a broad range of possibilities. We may be arrested and required to make a defense before political or civil authorities (see Luke 21:12-13) as Peter (Acts 4; 5:12-42) and Paul did (see Acts 9:15; see chapters 21-28).

The message is clear: we are to be ready to give an answer concerning the Christian’s hope. Times of suffering and persecution highlight the hope every Christian possesses. It is the hope of an eternal inheritance, preserved for us in heaven as we are kept for it on earth (1 Peter 1:3-9). It is a hope fixed completely on the grace yet to be revealed at the return of our Lord (1:13). It is a hope we have by faith, and this faith is proven through adversity (1:7). As the unbeliever observes the steadfast faith and hope of the Christian, he may be prompted to inquire, for without Christ, there is no true hope (see Ephesians 2:12; 1 Thessalonians 4:13; 2 Peter 3).

We should always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks. Peter’s words strongly imply we are to have more than the cultists. When they come to our door, they simply have a script. When forced to depart from their “script,” they don’t know what to say. We have more than a script; we have the Scriptures. We have experienced the grace of God through the gospel, and from the Word of God, we should have a thorough grasp of what the gospel is all about.

A recent television special celebrated 25 years of the Carol Burnett Show. One scene from that show illustrates how we are to understand the gospel and be able to translate it into terms which would relate to anyone who might ask about our hope. A replay from a past show captured a woman in the audience who told Carol she did not have a question, but she would like to sing. Carol invited her up on stage, and the woman confidently turned to the orchestra director and named the song she wanted, in the key of G. The orchestra performed magnificently, as did the woman, who was later joined by Carol herself.

The orchestra had never rehearsed the song, much less in the key of G. They could not possibly rehearse for every situation that might arise. But the men were expert musicians who could think musically. They were able to put the song together based upon their years of experience and skill as musicians.

That is the way we should be concerning the gospel. We should not have a canned presentation of the gospel which we apply uniformly to every inquirer. This kind of evangelism is never seen in the New Testament. Rather, we are to know the gospel so well that we can relate it to anyone, in any situation, at any time. Is this a challenge? Of course it is. But what subject is more important?

The request may be a private one, prompted by our own testimony, or it may be occasioned by another believer. I have always thought this verse (15) referred primarily to “personal evangelism”—people asking us about our faith based upon our godly conduct and lifestyle. Certainly this is one aspect of our witness, but there is much more.

The New Jerusalem Bible suggests yet another:

15 Simply reverence the Lord Christ in your hearts, and always have your answer ready for people who ask you the reason for the hope that you all have (emphasis mine).

The “you” was not rendered “you all” by the translators because they are from the deep South but because the “you” is plural. Peter is indicating that a person may ask us for an explanation of our hope because of the godly conduct of another believer. Some believers are much more visible, much more prominent than others.

The message of the gospel is always the same although our method of presenting it will vary from person to person. Our motivation and manner of presentation is prescribed by Peter: We are to give an answer with “gentleness” and with “reverence.” As I understand Peter’s words, gentleness applies to the way we respond to the person to whom we are explaining our hope. Reverence appears to refer to our attitude toward God as we present the gospel. We are to be gentle, proclaiming the gospel with grace, not harshly or without concern. But we are also to present the gospel in truth. Thus we remember the One of Whom we are speaking is the One who sees and hears us as we witness to our hope, and He is the One before Whom we must one day stand and give account.

The sixth principle is to maintain a good conscience.

16 And keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame (1 Peter 3:16).

Our word “conscience” comes from two Latin words: con, meaning “with,” and scio, meaning “to know.” The conscience is that internal judge that witnesses to us, that enables us to “know with,” either approving our actions or accusing (see Rom. 2:14-15). Conscience may be compared to a window that lets in the light of God’s truth. If we persist in disobeying, the window gets dirtier and dirtier, until the light cannot enter. This leads to a “defiled conscience” (Titus 1:15). A “seared conscience” is one that has been so sinned against that it no longer is sensitive to what is right and wrong (1 Tim. 4:2). It is even possible for the conscience to be so poisoned that it approves things that are bad and accuses when the person does good! This the Bible calls “an evil conscience” (Heb. 10:22). A criminal feels guilty if he “squeals” on his friends, but happy if he succeeds in his crime!

Conscience depends on knowledge, the “light” coming through the window. As a believer studies the Word, he better understands the will of God, and his conscience becomes more sensitive to right and wrong. A “good conscience” is one that accuses when we think or do wrong and approves when we do right. It takes “exercise” to keep the conscience strong and pure (Acts 24:16). If we do not grow in spiritual knowledge and obedience, we have a “weak conscience” that is upset very easily by trifles (1 Cor. 8).

How does a good conscience help a believer in times of trial and opposition? For one thing, it fortifies him with courage because he knows he is right with God and men, so that he need not be afraid. Inscribed on Martin Luther’s monument at Worms, Germany are his courageous words spoken before the church council on April 18, 1521: “Here I stand; I can do no other. God help me. Amen.” His conscience, bound to God’s Word, gave him the courage to defy the whole established church!

A good conscience also gives us peace in our hearts; and when we have peace within, we can face battles without. The restlessness of an uneasy conscience divides the heart and drains the strength of a person, so that he is unable to function at his best. How can we boldly witness for Christ if conscience is witnessing against us?

A good conscience removes from us the fear of what other people may know about us, say against us, or do to us. When Christ is Lord and we fear only God, we need not fear the threats, opinions, or actions of our enemies. “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?” (Ps. 118:6) It was in this matter that Peter failed when he feared the enemy and denied the Lord.

Peter made it clear that conscience alone is not the test of what is right or wrong. A person can be involved in either “welldoing” or “evildoing.” For a person to disobey God’s Word and claim it is right simply because his conscience does not convict him, is to admit that something is radically wrong with his conscience. Conscience is a safe guide only when the Word of God is the teacher.

More and more, Christians in today’s society are going to be accused and lied about. Our personal standards are not those of the unsaved world. As a rule, Christians do not create problems; they reveal them. Let a born-again person start to work in an office, or move into a college dormitory, and in a short time there will be problems. Christians are lights in this dark world (Phil. 2:15), and they reveal “the unfruitful works of darkness” (Eph. 5:11).

When Joseph began to serve as steward in Potiphar’s house, and refused to sin, he was falsely accused and thrown into prison. The government officials in Babylon schemed to get Daniel in trouble because his life and work were a witness against them. Our Lord Jesus Christ by His very life on earth revealed the sinful hearts and deeds of people, and this is why they crucified Him (see John 15:18-25). “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12).

If we are to maintain a good conscience, we must deal with sin in our lives and confess it immediately (1 John 1:9). We must “keep the window clean.” We must also spend time in the Word of God and “let in the light.” A strong conscience is the result of obedience based on knowledge, and a strong conscience makes for a strong Christian witness to the lost. It also gives us strength in times of persecution and difficulty.

No Christian should ever suffer because of evildoing, and no Christian should be surprised if he suffers for welldoing. Our world is so mixed up that people “call evil good, and good evil” and “put darkness for light, and light for darkness” (Isa. 5:20). The religious leaders of Jesus’ day called Him “a malefactor,” which means “a person who does evil things” (John 18:29-30). How wrong people can be!

As times of difficulty come to the church, we must cultivate Christian love; for we will need one another’s help and encouragement as never before. We must also maintain a good conscience, because a good conscience makes for a strong backbone and a courageous witness. The secret is to practice the lordship of Jesus Christ. If we fear God, we need not fear men. “Shame arises from the fear of men,” said Samuel Johnson. “Conscience, from the fear of God.”

The conscience is one’s inner sense of what is right and wrong, especially in matters not directly addressed by Scripture (see Romans 2:15; 2 Corinthians 1:12).¹²⁸ The conscience is closely related to one’s personal convictions (see 1 Corinthians 8:7, 12; Romans 14). The conscience can be deadened by sin (1 Timothy 4:2) and unnecessarily scrupulous (see Romans 14:2). The Christian should always strive to maintain a clear conscience (1 Timothy 1:5, 19; 3:9).

Elsewhere, the conscience is viewed as the basis for ministry (1 Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 1:3). It is also something we dare not violate lest we sin (1 Corinthians 8; Romans 14). It is wrong for us to act in a way that encourages a brother in Christ to violate his conscience (1 Corinthians 8:7-13). But here in our text, Peter refers to a clear conscience in the context of our witness to unbelievers.

Peter puts his finger on a very important outworking of a clear conscience. He says we are to have a clear conscience so that when we are slandered, those who have spoken evil of us for well-doing will be put to shame. Godly conduct puts sinners to shame. But when godly conduct shames sinners, it often results in persecution. The Christian is tempted to draw back, to modify his conduct to reduce or minimize the persecution he faces. Peter urges us not to violate our conscience by compromising our convictions.

Peter well understood what he was saying. How painful the memory of his own denial of the Lord must have been, as he once sought to avoid arrest and punishment by denying he even knew the Lord. Peter was a new man. His conscience had been cleansed. He would (with a few exceptions—see Galatians 2:11-21) no longer compromise to avoid persecution. And he now urges us to do likewise.

Daniel was also a man faithful to his conscience. When he was far from his homeland living as a captive in Babylon, Daniel nevertheless made every effort to live with a clear conscience. When he was given food to eat which would have violated his conscience, Daniel wisely petitioned the one in authority so that he would not defile himself (see Daniel 1). His conduct was such that his jealous peers knew they could only accuse him in some matter related to his personal practice of spiritual piety (see Daniel 6:1-5).

I believe a clear conscience gives one a boldness to witness we do not have when we compromise. This is evident in Daniel’s life and in the life and ministry of Paul. When Paul was falsely accused by his Jewish adversaries, he was able to say,

1 “Brethren, I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day” (Acts 23:1).

It is little wonder that Paul’s accusers were greatly upset by such words. Their “religion” did not make such a statement possible. Paul would have us keep our conscience clear, so that our lives will contrast with the sinful ways of the world and our lips will be able to proclaim the good news of the gospel without fear that we are hypocritical in so doing

If my understanding of the New Testament is correct, evangelism is a spiritual gift given to some members of Christ's body for its faithful and effective function (Eph. 4:11; cf. Rom. 12:7). No more than every part of the human body can be an eye, a foot, or a hand can every saved person be an evangelist or teacher. But that does not mean we can’t ‘open a door’ to others and ask for help in the teaching/instruction portion.

The church also needs people with the gifts of administration, leadership, philanthropy, and so on. This is not an original thought with me. It is Paul's extended argument at 1 Corinthians 12:12ff. Perhaps the most critical verse for my purpose right now is verse 18: "But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be."

There are times and places where some of us have been made to feel guilty that we had neither the personal charisma, teaching skills, nor Bible knowledge to go out and teach someone what to do to be saved. But should you feel guilty that you are not a charismatic leader or that you cannot be a wealthy benefactor to this church? Should I feel guilty that I am not gifted or suited to be an administrator in the life of this body?

If God had wanted me to be an administrator or CEO-type, he would have given me the natural gifts, training, and opportunity to be one. If he had wanted them to do what I do, he would have given them different gifts and life tracks. If he had wanted you to have the gift of evangelism, he would have given it to you. If you have that gift, it is our responsibility to help you surface it and to help you find a place in the life of this church to use it for God's glory.

Evangelism — as with every other spiritual gift ranging from healing the sick and raising the dead in the first century to showing mercy to the sick today — is a gift that God bestows by his sovereign grace. It is not everyone's gift, not everyone's calling, not everyone's assignment in the church.

Witness: The Opportunity for All

Christian witness, on the other hand, is the opportunity God provides every Christian. Company CEO or man losing his middle-management position when the company downsizes, single woman on her career track or full-time mom in charge of the neighborhood car pool, country music star in the public eye or greens-keeper on the golf course he plays with his buddies, journalist or occasional headlines-reader, well- trained physician specialist or confused-by-the-medical-language patient, Golden Anniversary celebrant or person reeling from a failed marriage, never-had-a-drop-in- my-life teetotaler or struggling-to-get-my-recovery-off-the-ground alcoholic, your present life situation gives you the opportunity to bear witness to the power of God to stabilize and empower, give direction and establish self-respect.

The noun witness refers to someone who is in position to provide or serve as evidence about a matter. A witness attests a fact, statement, or event. Someone is qualified to be a witness who has seen or heard something relevant to what is in question. The verb witness means to testify to a thing. It is to provide or serve as evidence for something. It is to attest the authenticity of a matter.

In the first century, a few people were in position to be witnesses of and to bear witness to the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. "God has raised this Jesus to life," Peter said, "and we [apostles] are all witnesses of this fact" (Acts 2:32). In that same first century, many more people were soon able to bear witness to the life-changing power of Christ to give them personal peace, to make them part of a new spiritual experience, and to generate a new lifestyle for them (Acts 2:42-45). Some people were attracted to Christ through the spoken testimony of the eyewitnesses, and many more were brought to him by the lived testimony of the redeemed community.

In the twenty-first century, some people will be won to Christ by a book. Many more will be won to him by the compassionate, supportive presence of some friends who help them through the trauma of a divorce or a child's death or a job loss.

When a woman discovers that her friend is helping out of Christ's presence and strength, that can open the door for the gospel to touch her heart. Some will be converted by preaching. More will be converted by having a Christian who chooses to be there when his life is falling apart and he is desperate to find hope, find meaning, find God.

In cases like these, someone has stepped up to bear witness to God's love or to offer his or her own testimony about the relevance of Christian faith to get one through such a time. In doing so, they have been witnesses for Christ.

Somebody will have to be a teacher or evangelist to the people whose attention is gotten through love and compassion, for saving faith is ultimately based on the testimony of the Word of God. "Faith comes from hearing the message," wrote Paul (Rom. 10:17a; cf. 10:14-15).

So somebody has to speak the true message about Christ to people who are lost. But the soil of that person's heart will almost surely have been prepared for the good seed of the Word of God by faithful, gentle witnesses to the transforming power of Jesus Christ through someone in his or her world of family, work, or friendship.

The New Testament Epistle of 1 Peter was written to Christians scattered throughout what is today Turkey. (It is called Asia Minor on maps of the New Testament world.) A few were Jews who had once lived in Palestine, but many more were Gentiles who were living in familiar geographical territory but in new spiritual territory.

Although they were "at home" in Asia Minor, they weren't really. They had been given a new citizenship and a new calling on their lives, and they were increasingly feeling like they were "strangers" among their non-Christians neighbors, friends, and family. So Peter addresses them as the "Diaspora," a term that means "scattered" or "spread out."

In every generation, Christians are away from home. So long as we are in this world, we are away from God. Paul confessed that when he wrote: "I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body" (Phil. 1:23-24).

 

Heaven was his new home, but he was stuck on Planet Earth for a while yet. Me too! As long as we are in the world, we are "scattered" or "spread out" among people who don't know Christ. We live among non-Christian people and work with unsaved folk. We're not superior! We're not smarter or more loved by God! But we have responded to Christ in repentance and faith.

We have been baptized into Christ and have affiliated ourselves with a church seeking God’s will in God’s way. We have pledged ourselves to honor God above pursuing or own pleasure. And that pledge sometimes creates discord or even harassment.

Here is what Peter said to some of his spread-out-among-unbelievers readers:  You've already put in your time in that God-ignorant way of life, partying night after night, a drunken and profligate life. Now it's time to be done with it for good. Of course, your old friends don't understand why you don't join in with the old gang anymore. But you don't have to give an account to them (1 Pet. 4:3-4, The Message).

While still living among unbelievers, what should those of us who are believers be doing? How can we be a positive presence among the people who don't understand our new commitments and behaviors?

In the paragraph just before the lines above, Peter had written this:  But in your hearts set apart 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, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander (1 Pet. 3:15).

You don't have to preach to them. Just let your life keep bearing witness to what you've found in Christ! You don't have to be a "Bible thumper." Just be steady in your newfound faith! Know what will happen? Eventually somebody will come up and say, "I wish I had the peace I see in you. Can you tell me how I can find it for my life?"

If you've learned enough of the Bible by that time, sit down and have a Bible study. If you aren't gifted or equipped to teach, just say, "It comes from Jesus. What about going to church with me Sunday?" Or you say, "My life has been changed by the power of God. And you know I'm not a teacher or preacher, but my preacher or somebody from my church who can help you understand the gospel will be glad to get with you. Do you want me to call somebody and be there with you?"

The How-To of Witnessing

Bearing witness to Christ in your daily lifestyle won't make you an evangelist. But your preliminary work is critical. The best teacher in the world can't get far with somebody who can quickly hide behind the "defense" of a hypocritical Christian she knows or cold, uncaring church that turned him off.

Have you ever thought about the fact that when God came among us to save us he spent more than thirty years in relative silence? He was one with us in flesh and blood. He lived among ordinary people. He worked in Joseph's carpentry business. He attended the synagogue. He modeled goodness and joy and concern for others. Only then did he preach to anybody.

Words are seldom ever the best starting point to lead somebody to Jesus. Words may only generate arguments and defensiveness. You seldom "argue people to the truth." You love them. You model a new lifestyle that looks increasingly like Jesus. You create hunger and thirst for the truth. But we somehow fool ourselves into thinking that words can replace kindness, self-control, and love. Evangelism is unproductive if it can't be done on the foundation of gentle witness. We need credibility in the eyes of the people we want to teach.

Pay attention to one more text from Peter's letter to those first-century Christians who were spread out over the world that just wasn't their real home any more. He gave this counsel to Christian women married to unbelieving husbands: "Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives" (1 Pet. 3:1-2).

The how-to of witnessing for Christ or being a witness to Christ's presence in the world is a rather simple, three-step process.

1. Practice your faith. Read your Bible and pray. Be a participating member of this church. Be present for every assembly you can attend. This much should be obvious.

2. Live your faith. This is the part that seems not to be so obvious to some of us. In families, classrooms, offices, and neighborhoods, people are less inclined to be looking for lectures on Christianity than for demonstrations of it, less for books than for friends. Without actions in our lives that look like Jesus in their midst, they will consider our words to be hollow and without value — and will have no interest in hearing them. I think it was Francis of Assisi who encouraged one of his pupils to tell everyone he met about Jesus but to use words only when necessary.

3. Acknowledge your faith. When you have lived your faith before a friend or given compassionate help to a classmate, he may ask you, "Why do you care?" or "Why are you willing to try to help me?" Don't just blush or pass it off or mumble something about wanting to do the right thing. Say something like, "I'm a Christian, and this is what I think Jesus would want me to do." Or maybe you can say, "I'm trying to follow Jesus in my life, and I know he'd care about you and try to help you with this." You'll be surprised at the doors opened by so simple an acknowledgment of Jesus. That person just may ask to come to church with you or to talk with you about your faith. And the door is open for God's presence in that heart!

Looking for God in All the Wrong Places

It’s “bottoms up” for believers in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. At least, that’s what Peter Winkle, the former “reverend” and restauranteur, is hoping. He applied for a liquor license on December 11, 2002, planning to mix the Bible and Budweiser into some kind of spiritual concoction for the shy-of-church.

“The focus,” said Winkle, “is on getting the message out....If that message happens to come from inside a bar, so be it” (Rob Kirkbride. “Would-be bar owners plan to pour out the spirit of religion.” The Grand Rapids Press. December 10, 2002).

Winkle considers the “good” that can be done. When patrons belly-up to the bar at Graces, they’ll be served by a clergyman. “There won’t be Bibles on the tables and the clergy won’t be wearing robes or collars, but I do envision loud music and people having fun,” said Renee Visser, a downtown business owner who is working with Winkle.

Presbyterian minister Kenneth Gentry pours out his opinion on the subject in his book God Gave Wine: “We need to change the public perception of Christians being a bunch of killjoys. Evil comes out of the heart of man, not out of a substance” (as quoted by Kirkbride).

Visser concluded, “Some people are bitter about traditional churches...We want to provide a place more comfortable to them.”

Garth Brooks mesmerized fans several years ago by singing, “I’ve got friends in low places....” Was he talking about Christians? This “anything-goes evangelism” is anything but “preaching the gospel” (Mk. 16:15). What value would there be to teaching someone the gospel who won’t remember it in the morning?

This ethical near-sightedness is nothing new. Joseph Fletcher publicized it in America decades ago in his book, Situation Ethics. But the idea is as old as Satan. People are deceived if they think that they can do wrong so that good may result. The end does not justify the means.

The incomprehensible thing is this: these entrepreneurs do not see anything wrong with the consumption of alcohol. It leads one to wonder what influence they were under when they read [if they read], “Wine is a mocker and strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise” (Prov. 20:1). Drunkenness is still condemned in Scripture as “a work of the flesh” (Gal. 5:21). And I have yet to discover the work of the flesh that can be done in moderation.

Since, as Gentry puts it, a substance is not intrinsically evil, one might suggest mixing a little weed with worship. How about casinos for Christ? A game of righteous roulette might reach the 4 million compulsive gamblers whose lives are on a ruinous course.

Is there a ministry yet to be uncovered among users of pornography? Twelve billion dollars bought Americans pornographic materials last year – twice the combined gross revenue of the major television networks CBS, NBC, and ABC. Such “ministers” could employ lust in moderation, transforming it into a love for God, “who made us male and female.”

How many more people could John the Immerser have reached had he sat on a bar stool and preached, “Another round! For the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

There is no doubt that people need the gospel – everybody needs the gospel. The remedy for the social and personal ills of life is the message of Christ. It is found in the New Testament and lived by faithful Christians who “abstain from every form of evil,” “flee from fornication,” “overcome evil with good,” “abhor what is evil,” and “hold fast to what is good” (1 Thess. 5:22; 1 Cor. 6:18; Rom. 12:21; 12:9).

Individuals are attracted to the message, it is true, by our “good works” (Matt. 5:16), and they are encouraged to fill their minds with things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise (Phil 4:8). For which things, we might say, there is no “legal-limit” or “under-aged restrictions” (cf. Gal. 5:23).

J.B. Phillip translates Romans 12:2 like this: “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold....” There is no need to brew up a spiritual message that is less-filling and tastes great. The gospel, undistilled, does not make us more comfortable where we are; rather, it leads us to realize the seriousness of sin and the need for a Savior – therein is righteousness and a clear conscience (cf. Rom. 1:16-17; 1 Pet. 3:21).

Conclusion

When the soldiers in Operation Desert Storm swept through Saudi Arabia and into Iraq back in 1991, one man rushed out to greet his American captors in Bermuda shorts, a T-shirt, and a Chicago accent. "Where have you guys been?" he asked. "We've been waiting for you!" [1]

The man from Chicago had been visiting his grandmother in Baghdad when the war broke out, and he was drafted into the Iraqi army. And he'd been praying for the Americans to get there and take him back where he belonged.

Some people you know have been drafted and pressed into service under the Prince of Darkness. Their lives are out of control and in pain. They are captive to addictions. They are scared to die but don't know how to live. Know what they would like to see more than anything else? They'd like to have someone to whom they can surrender so they can be taken back to God's camp, take a cleansing bath, feed their starving souls, and feel safe. You are someone's best hope for that happening in his or her life.

Hear our text for today one final time. This time, from The Message, listen to the words and take them to heart for yourself:

Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you're living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy. Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick. They'll end up realizing that they're the ones who need a bath.

Our goal as Christians is not to run away from and insulate ourselves against the world. It is to be salt, light, and leaven to it. It is to build bridges and make friends. Friendship, someone has said, is "the language the deaf can hear and the blind can see." Then our presence can be a gentle, faithful, unobtrusive, welcome witness to the Lord Jesus Christ. And he will use that witness to draw someone else to him. That is a spiritual service all of us can render.

 (Plantation is a suburb of Fort Lauderdale...just 10 minutes from Miami-Dade County, in the middle

of college and pro football country and 20 minutes from the Atlantic Ocean).  Last modified: April 18, 2006