Reflections on 1 Peter 3:15

If I started making fun of you in a hostile manner - not joking - and to your face, how would you react? Moreover, if the things that I were saying were definitely false, how much more pointed would your reaction be?

Would you answer back with, "Well, I understand your feelings, and I believe that you are entitled to your opinions. But, I don’t want to cause any bad feelings by disagreeing with you...." No? If you’re like me, you would get crazily upset over the slander and false accusations, and fiercely defend against the falsehood.

So let me ask you a question, Christian. When you hear someone at home, work, or play blaspheming the name of Christ, denying the existence of God, or mocking the Bible – how quickly and loudly do you efend your God? The first phrase in verse 15 says, "but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts," has a great deal to say of where Christ, His name and His Glory, should be in relation to all other things. Namely - the first and set apart position that nothing else comes close to equaling.

So, I say this: When our ears are accosted with blasphemy and vile things said about God, we need to be ready to make a defense for Him. More ready and willing to defend Him than to defend myself of those people closest to me. He died for me, I need to defend His name.

The following FALSE accusations are meant to provoke you to defend the true gospel. These statements are false, in big or small ways, and they need to be answered. How would you answer them? Don’t just tell me what you know, explain to me how they're wrong by using the Word of God as your primary defensive and offensive weapon.

1. According to 1st Peter 3:21-22, we are saved by Baptism. You cannot be saved without being baptized.


2. Jesus eternal? Colossians 1:15 says that Jesus is the first born all creation. How can He be eternal and God if he were created? Basically – he’s not eternal, and he cannot be God.


3. Jesus Christ never claimed to be God. He was voted into “godhood” at a church council hundreds of years after he died.

Please defend the faith that we hold dear. Answer these questions using the Word of God, and if you’re willing, send me your defense and I’ll post some of the better ones. Let’s sanctify Christ as Lord and defend the Truth of the Word of God!