Can You Defend Your Faith?

Can You Defend Your Faith?

1 Peter 3:15-16 "Rather, revere Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be prepared to offer an explanation to anyone who asks you to justify the hope that is in you. However, do so with gentleness and respect and with a clean conscience so that those who slander you for your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.”

When I heard this verse and then heard Father Mike talking about it I thought it would be a good verse to share today.  Father Mike said this verse is the reason he studied theology in college.  He wanted to be able to offer and explanation to anyone who asked about why he believed what he believed.  This is something I think more of us should strive to obtain.  I am not saying we should all go to college and study theology, although that does sound fun to me.  I am saying we should all strive to learn more about our faith, our religion, and why we believe what we believe.  I have heard a lot of people over the years refer to themselves as cradle catholic.  This means they have been a Catholic ever since they were a baby.  Unfortunately a lot of times it also means that they do not know a lot about the faith, or why they believe what they believe.  

I know that does not represent everyone that has been Catholic since birth, but I do think it represents a lot of us.  I remember when I got married and moved into our first house.  We lived on Fairchild AFB near Spokane, WA.  Once we got settled our neighbors came over and one of the first things I can remember them asking me was what the Catholic faith was all about.  They asked me what we believe.  I didn’t really know what to say.  I did think of the creed, so I could come up with a few things to say, but mostly I froze.  I loved my faith, I love being Catholic and yet I didn’t really know what to say when people asked about it or when people challenged it, which happened quite a bit.

I don’t know if that happens with all faiths or what, but as Catholics we are asked quite a bit why we believe what we believed.  We are asked my we worship Mary?  We are asked why we worship the Saints? We are asked why we can’t just talk to God directly, why we have to go to the Saints first?  We are asked why we have to go to confession with a priest?  Why do we think the Eucharist is the real flesh and blood of Jesus?  For a good part of my life, I did not know how to answer these questions.  I did know how to defend my faith or as the verse above says, I was not prepared to offer and explanation to anyone who asked me to justify the hope that is in me.  

I remember not liking the fact that I didn’t have answers to these questions.  I didn’t like the fact that I didn’t know why I believed what I believed.  I bought a book called Catholic Apologetics.  It explained why we believe many of the things we believe and where in scripture support for those beliefs could be found.  Then I started to join Bible Studies and I learned so much more about God and what the Bible says.  I also learned more about my faith and Catholicism.  

I love being a Catholic, I love all of our sacraments, I love that we get to go to a priest for confession.  I love that we get to hear the priest say, “The Lord has freed you from your sins. Go in peace.”  For me, there is just something so special about releasing my sins to the priest and then hearing him say those words. It’s almost like a confirmation that God really does forgive me.  I love that all Catholics, all around the world, all 1.3 billion of us are celebrating the same Mass on Sunday mornings.  We are saying the same prayers, we are reading the same readings, we are sharing in the same Eucharist.  

This verse does not just apply to Catholics, it applies to all Christians.  Whatever your believe about Christ, be prepared to offer an explanation.  When someone asks you why you love Jesus, what do you tell them?  Do you have an answer?  What do you say to someone who asks you, “If God is real, then why is there so much suffering and hardship and persecution that we see going on around us?”   What do you say when you are asked, “If God knows everything like he seems to suggest, and not only that he seems to have it all worked out, then what’s the point in praying or talking to him at all?”  There are a lot of questions that people have and they are looking to us for answers.  

Some people are looking to argue, or to catch you off guard and try to convince you that your beliefs are false.  This happens more often than we would like to admit.  If we aren’t firm in our faith, if we aren’t sure of our beliefs, we may be persuaded that they don’t make sense or that they are foolish.  We may start to question what we believe.  We may fall for the lies of the enemy that what we believe isn’t really true.  There are people that are very versed in the Bible and they use that knowledge to back up their beliefs.  They are able to defend and explain what they believe and why they believe it and that can be really intimidating for someone who is  not in the same position.  Take the time to learn what you believe and why you believe it.  Don’t just learn it so you know it, learn it so you can explain it to others that ask.  

Although some people might be looking to argue, others are asking these questions because they really want to know.  They may be thinking of becoming Christian and yet they just don’t understand the difference between the various religions.  They may be searching for something and what you say might just be that thing that brings them to Jesus.  Learning what we believe and why we believe it helps us grow not only in our faith, but in our relationship with the Lord.  Studying what you believe usually entails reading the scriptures surrounding your faith.  You can’t read scripture and not be changed.  You cannot spend time in God’s Word and not grow closer to Him.  

Before I end I want to call your attention to the ending of this verse too.  It says, “However, do so with gentleness and respect and with a clean conscience so that those who slander you for your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.”  It doesn’t just matter what we say, it matters how we say it.  As Father Mike says, “Don’t beat the person over the head with it.”  Explain what you believe and why with gentleness and respect.  Love is what will win people over for Jesus.  If you are talking about Jesus and how much you love Him and yet you are not doing it with gentleness and respect the person you are talking too will not want more of what you have.  If you are throwing your beliefs in someone else’s face, or trying to force them on them, they will be rejected.  I do believe in evangelizing and spreading God’s Word to all we meet.  I think this should be done more through our actions.  I want to live my life in such a way that people look at me and say, “I want more of what she has.”  That is my hope for all I meet.  I hope when they see me and they see a reflection of Jesus. This is what we are called to do.  We are all called to be a reflection of Jesus.  He is the one that will bring people to His Father.  What can we do today to be a reflection of Christ Jesus?  What can we do to learn a little more about what we believe and why we believe it?  How can we share that information with others in a gentle and respectful way?

Dear Heavenly Father I ask you to  bless all those listening to this episode.  Lord, we want to be able to share you with others.  We want to be able to explain that hope and that joy that fills us up inside, please help us.  Lord, we ask that you show us where to look, what to study, so we can be well prepared when our faith is challenged or when we meet someone that wants to know you.  Help us lead others to you Lord and help us to do it with gentleness and respect. Help us to do it in a way that makes people want to lean in and learn more, not turn away and shut down.  We love you Lord, you are amazing!! We are grateful for all you do for us and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus’ holy name, Amen!

Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus.  I look forward to bringing you a witness tomorrow.  Remember, Jesus loves you and so do I!  Have a blessed day!

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