Stephen Boissoin, is the director of the Alberta Youth Outreach Foundations “Cave” youth centre initiatives. In 2002, he was investigating funding opportunities for his ministry on the Alberta Human Rights Commission’s website. “To my disbelief” he states, “I came across a page that highlighted an initiative that the A.H.R.C. funded. This initiative stated that the gist of its agenda was to teach that homosexuality was “Normal, Necessary, Acceptable and Productive”. Boissoin says he “absolutely disagreed with this untruthful, dangerous and scientifically baseless agenda” and that he also “felt that as a taxpayer, and indirect funder of this initiative through my tax dollars, I had a right to communicate my opinion (Give a reason for the hope that was in him) which is reflective of my religious beliefs. In an attempt to do so, I decided to share my opinion at large by submitting letters to the editor in newspapers.
He wrote to the Red Deer Advocate in 2002 to complain about the presence of literature about homosexuality in school libraries. He wrote: "From kindergarten class on, our children, your grandchildren are being strategically targeted, psychologically abused and brainwashed by homosexual and pro-homosexual educators," "Your children are being warped into believing that same-sex families are acceptable." In that letter Boissoin called into question gay-rights curriculums permeating the province’s educational system. He said: “Children as young as five and six years of age are being subjected to psychologically and physiologically damaging pro-homosexual literature and guidance in the public school system; all under the fraudulent guise of equal rights”.
Darren Lund, an assistant professor at the University of Calgary, whose intense interest is advancing “social justice” causes submitted a complaint to the Alberta Human Rights commission charging that Boissoin contravened the Human Rights, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Act in the area of “Publications and Notices” on the grounds of “sexual Orientation.”
A three day hearing was convened this week before the commission. Should Boissoin lose the hearing he will be forced to pay $5000 to Darren Lund personally, and another $2000 to the pro-gay rights group EGALE Canada. An officer of the Human Rights Commission indicated that in publishing his letter, Boissoin had gone against the “position” of the commission.
Mr. Boissoin said that if he is found guilty, and not able to direct the fine to groups like Exodus International, which works with homosexuals attempting to leave the gay lifestyle, or an AIDS/HIV hospice, he will have no problem going to jail but will not apologize for what he wrote.
When people consider the work of Apologetics, they confuse the word with its contemporary connotation of being sorry. It almost sounds like one is sorry for professing Christianity.
For many, in the presentation of their “faith” sorry is usually one of the first words out. Sorry for past atrocities in the name of religion, and sorry for those who hold to exclusivist views of Christianity.
What is your reaction to the Boissoin story? Does this surprise you? You may be shocked to hear that this is a more and more common experience. It is open season on Christians and many of the herd don’t even notice the shots.
1 Peter 3: 13-17 speaks to all who would live godly lives in the midst of a hostile, ungodly culture.
The apostle Peter gives five principles believers need to embrace to equip and defend themselves against the threats of an unbelieving, hostile world: 1) a passion for goodness, 2) a willingness to suffer—for wrong and for right, 3) a devotion to Christ, 4) a readiness to defend the faith, 5) and a pure conscience.
1) A PASSION FOR GOODNESS (3:13)
1 Peter 3:13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? (ESV)
Peter’s rhetorical question shows that it is unusual for most people, even those hostile to Christianity, to harm believers who are zealous for what is good.
Zealous means “intensity” or “enthusiasm” and describes a person with great zeal for a specific cause.
Good refers generally to a life characterized by generosity, unselfishness, kindness, and thoughtfulness toward others (cf. Pss. 37:3; 125:4; Prov. 3:27; 11:23; 2 Cor. 9:8; Gal. 6:9–10; Eph. 2:10; Col. 1:10; 1 Thess. 5:15; 1 Tim. 6:18; Titus 1:8; 2:7, 14; 3:14; Heb. 13:16; James 3:13, 17; 3 John 11). Such a lifestyle has a way of restraining the hand of even the most ardent foe of the gospel (cf. 2:12; Matt. 5:16; Rom. 12:20–21).
As a General Truth:
Proverbs 16:7 [7]When a man’s ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
-With the same intensity and zeal for which we see fans cheering today for the final FIFA under 20 World Cup today, so too, Christians are to be zealous for good works.
-being zealous for what is good produces a godly life
-It is the base of an effective witness of the truth.
-We fail as an effective witness when out lives don’t match our message
How does our Conduct impact our message?:
Poem: The Gospel According to You
Arthur McPhee said:
The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
Are read by more than a few,
But the one that is most read and commented on
Is the gospel according to you.
You are writing a gospel, a chapter each day
By the things that you do and the words that you say,
Men read what you write, whether faithless or true,
Say, what is the gospel according to you?
Do men read His truth and His love in your life,
Or has yours been too full of malice and strife?
Does your life speak of evil, or does it ring true?
Say, what is the gospel according to you?
1) A PASSION FOR GOODNESS (3:13)
2) A WILLINGNESS TO SUFFER—FOR WRONG AND FOR RIGHT (3:14, 17)
1 Peter 3:14 [14]But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, (ESV)
[17]For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. (ESV)
Having a passion for goodness is certainly not a guarantee against suffering; it may only make it more unlikely or less frequent. Jesus Christ “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38; cf. John 10:32), yet a hostile world eventually killed Him (Matt. 27:22–23; Luke 23:23–25; Acts 2:23; cf. Isa. 53:9). He made it clear that believers cannot presume to escape all suffering if their Lord did not (cf. Matt. 10:24–25; Luke 6:22; John 15:20; Acts 14:22; Phil. 1:29–30; 2 Tim. 3:12; Heb. 12:3–4).
But even if conveys the idea of “perchance” or “contrary to what is expected” and fits with the verb should suffer (paschoite), which in this Greek verb form (optative) expresses a fourth-class condition implying there is no certainty that suffering will happen, but it might.
Many Christians in the early church, including some of Peter’s readers (1:6–7; 2:20; 4:12–16), did suffer for righteousness’ sake (Acts 5:40–41; 7:57–60; 8:3–4; 12:1–4; 13:50; 16:20–24; 17:5–9; 26:9–11)—their upright, godly behavior. Likewise, faithful Christians today should not be surprised or afraid if such suffering comes.
Believers should Have no fear of them,, literally, that they should “not fear their fear,” that is, be intimidated by unbelievers who would persecute them (cf. Ps. 118:6; Prov. 29:25; Matt. 10:28; Luke 12:4–5; Acts 4:23–30).
Furthermore they must not be troubled, literally “not shaken or stirred up” (cf. 4:16, 19).
The apostle John was given a promise related to suffering in:
Revelation 2:10 [10]Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. (ESV)
In their willingness to suffer, believers must face all circumstances with courage (cf. Josh, 1:7, 9; 10:25; 2 Sam. 10:12; 1 Chron. 28:10, 20; Ezra 10:4; Ps. 31:24; Mark 6:50; 1 Cor. 16:13). Suffering must be viewed as an opportunity to receive spiritual blessings, not as an excuse to compromise the faith before a hostile world.
1 Relation to 1 Peter 3:17, Concerning suffering, there are two possibilities. First, believers may suffer for doing good, accepting that pain as part of God’s wise and sovereign plan for blessing their lives. Second, they may suffer for doing evil, receiving the expected discipline of the Lord for their disobeying His Word (cf. 2:20; 4:15–19). Of the two possibilities that may come, Peter recognizes that the first is unique because it comes only if that should be God’s will.
In this very context of persecution, even while doing what is good, we have seen:
1 Peter 2:15 [15]For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. (ESV)
1) A PASSION FOR GOODNESS (3:13) 2) A WILLINGNESS TO SUFFER—FOR WRONG AND FOR RIGHT (3:14, 17)
3) A DEVOTION TO CHRIST (3:15a)
1 Peter 3:15a but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy,
This is call to affirm submission to God’s control, instruction, and guidance. In so doing believers also declare and submit to God’s sovereign majesty (cf. Deut. 4:35; 32:4; 1 Kings 8:27; Pss. 90:2; 92:15; 99:9; 145:3, 5; Isa. 43:10; Rom. 8:28; 11:33) and demonstrate that they fear only Him (Josh. 24:22–24; Pss. 22:23; 27:1; 34:9; 111:10; 119:46, 63; Prov. 14:26; Matt. 4:10).
The call to Honor/Sanctify (hagiasate) means “to set apart,” or “consecrate.” But in this context it also connotes giving the primary place to Christ.
This command is not to make Christ Lord of your life.
-If you have ever told an unbeliever that or a disobedient Christian that, then stop. It makes no sense and is misleading.
You cannot make or take away what is not in your power. 1 Peter 3:15a and elsewhere clearly specifies that Christ is the Lord of all whether you accept that or not.
-We fail to honour Christ when we fear others more than we revere Him.
ILLUSTRATION: The Hermit
Seeking to know God better, John Chrysostom became a hermit in the mountains near Antioch in A.D. 373. Although his time of isolation was cut short by illness, he learned that with God at his side, he could attend alone against anyone or anything.
That lesson served Chrysostom well. In A.D. 398 he was appointed patriarch of Constantinople, where his zeal for reform antagonized the Empress Eudoxia, who had him exiled. Allowed to return after a short time, Chrysostom again infuriated Eudoxia, who sent him away again. How did Chrysostom respond to such persecution? With these words:
“What can I fear? Will it be death? But you know that Christ is my life, and that I shall gain by death. Will it be exile? But the earth and all its fullness are the Lord’s. Poverty I do not fear; riches I do not sigh for; and from death I do not shrink.”
Today in the Word, MBI, October, 1991, p. 33
1) A PASSION FOR GOODNESS (3:13) 2) A WILLINGNESS TO SUFFER—FOR WRONG AND FOR RIGHT (3:14, 17) 3) A DEVOTION TO CHRIST (3:15a)
Where I wish to spend the most time:
4) A READINESS TO DEFEND THE FAITH (3:15b)
1 Peter 3:15b [15], always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, (ESV)
It is not just endurance through the blessing of suffering that believers are to submit to; there is also the opportunity to defend the truth when they are being persecuted. Christians must be ready/prepared to make a defense of the faith.
The Greek term for defense (apologia) is the word from which the English terms apology and apologetics derive. It often means a formal defense in a judicial courtroom (cf. Acts 25:16; 2 Tim. 4:16), but Paul also used the word informally to denote his ability to answer those who questioned him (Phil. 1:16).
Evangelism: is the declaring of the Gospel, the evangel
Apologetics: from apa: meaning off or from, and Legito meaning to speak: means to speak from or defend a position.
Always indicates believers’ need for constant preparedness and readiness to respond, whether in a formal courtroom or informally, to anyone who asks them to give an account/for the reason why they live and believe the way they do.
There are times when we are not posed genuine questions, but atheist wish to pick a fight and are not prepared to seriously deal with the issues: Proverbs recommends:
Proverbs 26 [4]Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself.
Jesus said himself:
Matthew 7:6 [6]"Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you. (ESV)
There are other times when the atheist is genuinely seeking to debate or has genuine questions, then Proverbs recommends:
Proverbs 26 [5]Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.
Please turn to 2 Cor. 10
In 1 Peter 3:15
Account/Reason is simply logos, “word,” or “message,” and it calls saints to be able at the time someone asks (present tense) to give the right words in response to questions about the gospel. (Acts 22:1; 25:16; 1 Cor. 9:3; 2 Cor. 7:11; Phil. 1;7,16-17, 27; 2 Tim. 4:2,16)
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 [3]For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. [4]For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. [5]We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, (ESV)
Jude 1:3-4 [3]Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. [4]For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. (ESV)
The gospel is identified as the hope that is in believers. Hope is synonymous with the Christian faith because the motive for believers’ embracing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is their anticipation of escaping hell and entering eternal glory (cf. Acts 26:6; Eph. 1:18; 4:4; Col. 1:23; Heb. 10:23). Thus hope becomes the focal point of any rational explanation believers should be able to provide regarding their salvation.
As we have previously seen:
1 Peter 1:3 [3]Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (ESV)
The believer’s defense of this hope before the unbeliever who asks must be firm and uncompromising, but at the same time conveyed with gentleness and respect.
Gentleness refers to meekness or humility, not in the sense of weakness but in the sense of not being dominant or overbearing (cf. Eph. 4:15, “speaking the truth in love”).
Lest you think this is my primary job is to be the one going around answering the unbelievers, my job is to equip you to do this:
Ephesians 4:15 [15]Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, (ESV)
In 1 Peter 3:15 Respect/Reverence expresses devotion to God, a deep regard for His truth, and even respect for the person listening (Col. 4:6; 2 Tim. 2:24–26).
Colossians 4:6 [6]Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. (ESV)
-This is a key verse in understanding the methodology. The message of what we say of the Gospel remains constant, but we often see Jesus and the apostles responding to differing people in different way.
-We are to answer someone who is seeking an answer.
-The concept of our speech seasoned with salt reflects a conversation that both preserves the righteousness of the subject matter but also encourages further questioning by sparking interest.
2 Timothy 2:24-26 [24]And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, [25]correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, [26]and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. (ESV)
1) A PASSION FOR GOODNESS (3:13) 2) A WILLINGNESS TO SUFFER—FOR WRONG AND FOR RIGHT (3:14, 17) 3) A DEVOTION TO CHRIST (3:15a) 4) A READINESS TO DEFEND THE FAITH (3:15b)
5) A PURE CONSCIENCE (3:16)
1 Peter 3:16 [16]having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. (ESV)
Regarding the thing in which they are slandered, believers ought to be able to agree with the apostle Paul, who declared:
Acts 24:16 [16]So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. (ESV) (cf. 2 Cor. 1:12).
Slandered believers who maintain good behavior in Christ will have their consciences at rest, untroubled by guilt, and their godly lives will prove any criticisms from unbelievers to be false. Slandered (katalaleisthe) is an onomatopoetic word (one whose pronunciation suggests its meaning) that describes “evil speaking” or “verbal abuse.”
Revile means “to threaten,” “to insult,” or “to mistreat.” A pure conscience can withstand and deflect whatever abusive, insulting speech the world hurls at it (cf. 1 Cor. 4:12). Those who engage in such sinful mistreatment of obedient believers (Pss. 42:10; 74:10; Matt. 27:29, 31, 41, 44; Mark 15:32; Luke 23:36; Acts 2:13), with the aim of shaming and defeating them, will themselves be put to shame (cf. Gen. 42:8–21).
If we have done our duty, we should have a clear conscience.
We have a hostile task before us for which we must be ready and able to do battle.
We must know the Word of God, our weapon, we must pray to God, our guide and we must rely on God our strength.
