Faith on Trial
Ready to Answer…
April 17, 2016, a.m. (1Peter 3:13-17) Command Baptist Church
And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness 'sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing, (vs. 13-17)
TEXT: But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear, (vs. 15).
The day is coming and fast approaching when your faith will be on trial. If you have been in tuned with what is taking place in America, no, North Carolina, you know that we have come to unprecedented days in this country alone. What will you do when you are called into question at work about your faith? What will you do when you are hauled into court answer for ridiculous charges against you for sharing your personal testimony about Jesus Christ with someone?
These are perilous times and troublesome days for the serious minded Christian believer. I’m not speaking to the “go along to get along,” or a “to each his own” kind of Christian this morning. I’m speaking to the serious minded, patron of the Christian faith who knows they have been washed in the blood of Christ and their sins have been forgiven.
I’m speaking to you this morning as your pastor and friend. I’m speaking to you as one serious Christian to serious Christians. I want to speak the truth to you in love and I hope you will receive that truth in love. I owe you the truth and you deserve to hear it.
The media has been lying to you about what is going on in America. They want you to feel guilty because you are a Christian. They want you to bend the rules of the Christian faith to accommodate worldly, unbiblical, nonsensical, ideas. They want you to put your faith on the back burner and tolerate the mores of modern society. If you can do that, you will be accepted by the world and acceptable to them. But, if you continue to stand firm in the faith, you will be opposed and persecuted.
The ungodly media wants you to believe that it is you that is abnormal in society because you go to church, read the Bible, have a living relationship with Jesus Christ, pray, and live for God. They want you to believe that normalcy in America is that of the in-your-face, sexually promiscuous, anti-God, and anti-Christian LGBT community and that you are not only abnormal, but a nuisance to the whole of society. To the liberal media and this ungodly society you are the problem. Am I making myself clear?
The media is the primary method of communication in modern society. 200 years ago in American history, the church was the main form of communication. Nether TV or radio existed in those days. People went to church to find out what was going on in their world. The pastor was in the know about the trends of modern society. Preachers kept their parishioners informed, but that has changed in this century. The church is in decline due to the faithlessness and lack of commitment by its congregations. The liberally biased, anti-God, multi-billion dollar media wants to control the information flow and they are withholding the truth form the American public.
What are you going to do about it? We could just do nothing. Why not just worry about meeting the needs of your household, take care of your family, and let everyone else worry about theirs? Why not just take care of your four and no more and let everything else go? If you can’t do anything about it, why worry about it? Right? Why stir things up and just make them worse for you? Wouldn’t it be better just to accept the inevitable?
Simon Peter wrote this passage to the strangers, “the persecuted church,” who were scattered abroad because of religious persecution. Though it was written 2,000 years ago, the message rings loud and clear America this morning, though most of the church doesn’t know it.
What is it that Simon Peter wants you to know? He wants you to know that if you are a sincere, sold out, surrendered believer to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, you can expect some suffering to come your way by the hands of this godless, evil world! Persecution might come to you by being:
• Ridiculed or mocked for your faith
• Being ignored or passed over on your job because of your faith
• Isolated of cut off from everyone else because of your faith
• Abused or beaten because of your faith
• Imprisoned of even martyred for your faith
Whatever the form of persecution, it is coming. Hear the words of St. Paul when he wrote to Timothy, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution,” (2Tim. 3:12). The question is, “How will you bear up under the persecution against the church for tis faith in Jesus Christ and the Bible?” When the time comes, and brethren it will, how will you respond to persecution for the glory of God and your faith in Christ?
BI - “While suffering is not something any of us wishes to do, if we must suffer for our faith in Christ, let us do it as a badge of honor to Jesus Christ who procured our salvation by His own suffering.”
==> If we are to be successful in prevailing in the face of opposition and persecution, there are four attitudes we must take up and hold onto. First, when persecution comes, we must take up the attitude of:
1. Determination - (vs. 13-14)
And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness 'sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled.
The first attitude that must prevail in persecution and opposition is the attitude of doing right in the face of everything that is wrong! The word “followers” means “imitators.” To be a follower then of that which is good then means to discover what is good and then to imitate it. The sincere Christian believer does not “go along to get along.” The serious Christian believer steps up to the plate, finds out for themself what is real, important, true and virtuous; and then follows that example to the best of his or her ability with dependence upon the Holy Spirit of God.
The serious Christian believer will become zealous about doing what is right! He or she will develop a God-honoring determination to live for God in a world that is living against God! The serious Christian will become a “Salmon Christian” - swimming up river against the current of pollution and degradation with the main course in mind of reaching its God intended destination! The serious disciple of the Jesus will determine to sell out for the glory of God no matter what comes his or her way!
Believer, allow yourself to be consumed with the passion and determination of doing what is RIGHT even when everyone is doing WRONG! Quoting Dr. Bob Jones Sr., “Do right. Do right. Do right till the stars fall! Do right!” If you don’t know what is right, dive into your Bible and seek its Teacher! Follow this admonition: “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin,” (James 4:17). If you know its right, but you don’t do it, that is sin!
There seem to be four kinds of people when it comes to doing the right thing. There are:
• People who care less about doing right. It doesn’t matter to them. They want everyone to be happy, but you! Life is short: enjoy every experience whether it’s lawful or lawless. In the eyes of these people, what is right, decent and just makes common sense is rebelled against, cursed and rejected! This is the prevalent attitude in society, especially in the LGBT community in NC right now!
• People who care about doing right if it benefits them. If doing right is convenient, well then, by all means do it. If doing right benefits them, then by all means, they will do it. But, if doing the right thing costs them something or demands anything from them, or takes anything away from them, they refuse to do it!
• People who profess to do right, but really do not. They want others to think they believe in doing right, but the reality is that they are not doing the right thing. They are more interested in pleasing themselves than pleasing God.
• People who have a zeal to do right and they do it. That’s the folk Peter is writing to here. They are few and far between. They are small in number in comparison to those on the broad path that leads to destruction, (Mt. 7:13-14). They have committed themselves to doing the right thing no matter what! Their thinking is: my Lord did right and so will I.
What Peter is saying here is that we must be zealous in doing the right thing! We must be passionate followers of Jesus Christ! We must be fanatical about doing what is right! If doing right causes persecution, then so be it! According to Simon Peter, we will be blessed for it, (1Pet. 3:14). When we focus on the Lord Jesus, we can lose everything that life counts as dear and still have the most important things left. How can you have Jesus Christ and be at a loss in this life? He has promised us that:
• All things will work together for our good, (Rom. 8:28).
• God will provide all of our needs, (Phil. 3:19).
• The Spirit of Christ will be manifested in our lives, (2Cor. 4:11).
• Our reward is great in Heaven, (Mt. 5:11-12; 2tim. 2:12; Heb. 10:26).
• We will enjoy eternal life with God, (2Tim. 4:18).
• God will strengthen us when we suffer persecution, (2Cor. 12:10).
• God will use our suffering as a testimony for Jesus Christ, (1Pet. 3:16).
==> In the face of persecution and opposition, take up the attitude of determination. Do the right thing no matter what the outcome! When persecution and opposition comes there must be an attitude of:
2. Dedication - (vs. 15a)
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.
The word “sanctify” means to “set apart.” It’s used 29 times in the New Testament. It literally means, “to make holy, purify, to consecrate, or venerate.” When the topic of sanctification is mentioned in the Bible, it usually means, “the holy act of God whereby He actively and continuously sets the believer in Jesus Christ apart from the world unto Himself.” While justification is a sacred act performed in the believer’s past with abiding results, sanctification is the continual process whereby God is making the believer like His Son, Jesus Christ.
Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours, (1Cor. 1:2).
And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God, (1Cor. 6:11).
If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work, (2Tim. 2:21).
In these verses, however, Peter has turned the tables. He is not writing of that which God is doing to us and for us. He is writing of that which we are to do ourselves. When he writes for us to “Sanctify the Lord God in our hearts,” he is saying that we are to “set apart” Jesus Christ in our own hearts. A better way to say it might be that we are to “set Jesus Christ upon the throne of your hearts.”
When we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, we receive the Lord Jesus Christ into our lives. Sometimes we say we have received Him into our hearts. What we mean by that is that Christ comes into our lives and lives or abides in us, (2Cor. 5:17; Col. 1:27).
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new, (2Cor. 5:17).
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory, (Col. 1:27).
But let me ask a question, “Though you are a believer and Christ lives in your heart, is He in the key position of your life? Does He have the most prominent place in your life? Is He first place, last place or somewhere in between?” It’s important in the face of opposition and possibly persecution that we set Christ in His rightful place in our lives. Have we set Him there? Have we dedicated our lives to the Lordship of Jesus Christ? Does He occupy the throne of our heart or are there other things vying for His rightful position there?
==> In the face of persecution and opposition, take up the attitude of determination. Do right no matter what the outcome! In the face of persecution and opposition, take up the attitude of dedication. Set Jesus Christ on the throne of your life! 3rd, in the face of persecution and opposition there must be an attitude of:
3. Defense - (verse 15b)
… and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.
The word “answer” means “defense.” It is the word, “apologian” from which we get the word apologetics. Christian apologetics is the disciplined practice of giving biblical answers to the tough questions that the world has conjured up concerning the Christian faith and our faith in Jesus Christ. My friend, Christianity demands a verdict.
If you have not seen the movie, “God is Not Dead 2,” yet, I urge you to go see it. The story in the movie is exactly the place we are in American society at the present time. Being a Christian is more difficult in this society than being an atheist, unbeliever or one that conforms to a defiant lifestyle and practice. You may not realize this, but your faith is on trial and under attack and you better know how you are going to defend it. Do you know what you believe and why you believe it?
• Is it true that only those who believe in Jesus Christ go to Heaven? Why do you say that? Explain to me from the Bible why you believe that. It is no longer acceptable to say, “That’s what our church or pastor believes.” Don’t stake your eternal life on what the preacher believes. Know for yourself!
• Is there a God and is He your Creator and Redeemer? How do you know that? What biblical proof do you have? Are you willing to bet your soul on that one? You better know how to answer this question!
• What is God’s name? Is the God of the Christian faith the same as the god of the Muslim faith? Are Jehovah and Allah the same? Is one the true God and the other a false god? You better know how to defend your faith!
• Is Jesus Christ the Son of God or is He only a good man that lived in history 2,000 years ago? Faith demands an answer! You better know how to answer this question!
• Is the Bible true, and if it is, is the Quran true as well? What is the difference between the two? How do you know that? Can you give a definitive answer as to why you believe the Bible is the only true Word of God? And if it is the Word of God, are you living by it?
• Is Hell a real place and will people who refuse Jesus Christ spend eternity in the Lake of Fire? What defense from the Scriptures do you have and do you feel comfortable waging eternity on what you believe?
• Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and can you tell others how they can have one with Him as well? This is what Peter is writing about in this verse. If someone questions your faith in Jesus, can you defend it? Do you know that you know you are going to Heaven when you die and can you unashamedly give an answer to those who ask you of the hope that lies within you?
The Christian believer is admonished to “know how to give an answer” to whomever asks him or her about their personal relationship with Christ. Can you do that? This means that you and I are supposed to know how to answer our neighbors, friends and foes. It means that we are supposed to know how to answer civil authorities, our employers and fellow employees, legal authorities, and strangers. Can you do that?
The Christian believer is not only to know how to answer, but he is to engage as a witness wherever he is and to whomever he speaks. The believer is to give an answer every day to everyone who asks and those who will listen.
Being ready takes preparation. It means that you have to study your Bible, (1Tim. 2:15). It means that you have to meditate on the Scriptures daily, (Psa. 1:1-2). It means that you must spend time with God every day, becoming acquainted with Him while becoming a thorough student of His Word! It means that you must live a life of prayer, seeking God’s direction, blessing and will.
The tragedy is that very few Christians know what they believe. They only know the little bit they know by attending church 1-2 ½ hours a week. They only know what their Bible teacher and pastor tell them. They are unwilling to give the Lord any more time during their “busy” week to become better acquainted with God’s Word and God Himself! They are unwilling to exert the extra effort and time it takes to study the Bible! They are unwilling to pay the price to be effective witnesses and exceptional believers!
Notice that Peter writes how the believer is to “be careful” how he or she answers every man. He is to do it in the spirit of meekness and fear before the Lord. He is to develop a tender spirit in humility and meekness. He is to be a witness in the spirit of the fear of God. He is to hold God in high regard and reverence. He is to bear a strong but gentle witness. Christians are always to be on the alert, waiting for the opportunity to speak up for the Lord Jesus.
==> In the face of persecution and opposition, take up the attitude of determination. Do right no matter what the outcome! In the face of persecution and opposition, take up the attitude of dedication. Set Jesus Christ on the throne of your life! In the face of persecution and opposition take up the attitude of defense. Be ready to answer every man concerning your Christian faith. 4th, in the face of opposition and persecution there must be an attitude of:
4. Duty - (vs. 16-17)
Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
Let’s close with this one more thought. Let’s make it our duty to live in such a way that we have a good conscience about how we have lived. That way, what Jesus Christ thinks about us will matter more than what others think about us. That way, we know that have lived a life pleasing to Jesus Christ.
Let’s live in such a way that no matter whatever accusation is cast against us, we can hold our heads and hearts up high, not in pride, but in gratitude toward Jesus Christ for allowing us the opportunity to be a testimony of His grace and mercy in our lives. Let’s make it our duty to live with a good conscience.
==> In the face of persecution and opposition, take up the attitude of determination. Do right no matter what the outcome! In the face of persecution and opposition, take up the attitude of dedication. Set Jesus Christ on the throne of your life! In the face of persecution and opposition take up the attitude of defense. Be ready to answer every man concerning your Christian faith. In the face of opposition and persecution take up the attitude of duty. Make it your duty to live in good conscience toward Jesus Christ and therefore before men.
BI - “While suffering is not something any of us wishes to do, if we must suffer for our faith in Christ, let us do it as a badge of honor to Jesus Christ who procured our salvation by His own suffering.”
