July 23 | Disciples Defend the Truth

Series | The Life of Discipleship

Scripture | 1 Peter 3:15, “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.”

Lesson 23 | Disciples Defend the Truth

Today the Christian faith is being attacked in many different ways and on many different levels.  For example, the educational system, both on the college and grammar school level, is undermining the very foundation of the Bible claiming that it is nothing more than an inaccurate book filled with ancient myths that was poorly handed down over 2,000 years ago.

The outspoken atheistic community loves to distort such issues like “intelligent design” verses “evolution” to make the Christian look unintelligent and blinded by “religious fanaticism” rather than being “scientific” and “rational.”  Even the mainstream media loves to present fundamental Christians as “backwards” and “intolerant” when it comes to social issues such as gay rights, abortion, and stem cell research.    

Plus, at the same time secular skeptics are fighting against the Christian faith thousands of cults, counter Christian’s groups, and world religions like Islam have rose up and begun to teach their interpretation of the Bible, thus bringing confusion to the religious seeker.  Just in the last 150 years there have been literally thousands of new religious sects and attacks on the Bible that may come from a thousand different angles, but they all agree one thing- the historic Christian faith is wrong!

Peter faced similar times when he wrote the above passage.  The Roman world, with their pantheon of gods, mocked the Christians for only having “one God.”  The Greek philosophers ridiculed the Christians for believing in ole’ Jewish myths and not rational thought, while the Jewish leaders called the new Christian faith “a cult" because it deified Jesus and seemed to break with Jewish scholarship.  And to top it all off, multiple groups in Christianity like the Gnostics started to distort the teachings of Christ to fit with their previous pagan ideals like “dualism.”

Therefore, Peter taught that all disciples must do the following, (1) Revere (honor) Jesus as Lord, (2) Always be prepared by studying the Bible thoroughly, (3) Give an answer (Greek, “apologia,” known as “apologetics,” the art of defending the truth) to those who question our faith, and (4) Give our answers and defense with gentleness and respect.

Start today- defend the faith with the Spirit and truth!

Reflection | Are you ready to give biblical answers about your faith to the world around you?

Action | (1) Study the Bible to show yourself approved. (2) Consider taking some Bible classes on apologetics and buying some easy to read books on the various subjects.  For example, “Reasonable Faith,” by William Lane Craig or “Kingdom of the Cults,” by Walter Martin. (3) Lastly, pray and ask the Holy Spirit to use you to preach the truth to those who question your faith.

One Year Reading Plan (Optional) | 2 Chronicles 8:11-10:19, Romans 8:9-25, Psalm 18:16-36, & Proverbs 19:26. Click here to read online.