1 Peter 3:13-15 “Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. ‘Do not fear what they fear: do not be frightened.’ 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.”

You might think that when we talk about the gospel, and respond to insults with kind words and blessings, people would like us and treat us well. Usually that is the case. When Peter asks the question, “Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?” he is implying that the answer is “no one.”

Most of the time. Of course, there are exceptions for every rule. Sometimes people see our kind response as weakness to take advantage of. Sometimes they just don’t like the gospel we believe. Peter quotes words the Lord said to Isaiah 700 years earlier. “Do not fear what they fear.” The prophet had been telling Israel’s leaders not to worry about their political enemies in other countries. The Lord was going to take care of them. They didn’t need to sell their freedom and independence to some more powerful nation for protection. They needed God.

Most of the leaders thought Isaiah was nuts at best, treasonous at worst. They pressured the prophet to shut up. They threatened him and tried to intimidate him. They wanted to silence him. According to Jewish legend, eventually they sawed him in two.

“Do not fear what they fear.” Many others don’t believe in an all-loving, all-powerful God who promises to take care of us. They are afraid of the bully who is bigger and stronger. So they become the bully when they are bigger and stronger. Isaiah had God, so he didn’t have to be afraid of them.

Neither do we. Many people believe we are nuts at best, dangerous at worst for the gospel we believe. “Religion stands in the way of progress,” they say. “It limits personal freedom. It encourages judgmentalism and prejudice. It prevents people from being more urgent about solving the world’s problems. They turn to prayer, or hope for heaven, when they should be rushing to action.” The atheists, the humanists, the secularists, and the proponents of strange new moral standards would like to silence our talk about sin, and grace, and God.

Peter has the solution. “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…” Even when they attack our faith, our response does not need to become mean and personal.

But it does need to be a defense. That is the idea behind the word “answer” in the Greek. The Christian gospel is fact and truth, no matter what the other side says. Jesus our Lord is real. So is his love, his forgiveness, and all his saving work. As God’s people we defend his honor when we defend our faith. In the process, we just might win some converts from the other side.

So be prepared. Study your Scriptures. Know how they fit together. Commit them to memory. Don’t be content with a vague and hazy grasp of your faith. Don’t be satisfied that the pastor has the answers. Know them for yourself.

Then you will be prepared to defend your faith, and when you open your mouth, you will be talking as the very mouth of God.