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Give a couple of examples from 1 Peter 3:15–16 as to why and how we should embrace apologetics in our faith journey.
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This passage from the Bible calls us to fear God and always be prepared for a response as to why we are Christians and put our faith in Jesus. Apologetics is about growing in our faith journey with wisdom about what we believe. In doing so, we need to build relationships and make sure we are walking maturely in our faith, so we are not stumbling blocks for others. We need to have an empathy for others, so we are prepared and striving to seek opportunities to share our conviction with gentleness and love, just as Jesus first met us before we became Christians.
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We have been set apart from our Lord Jesus Christ. As we grow in the grace and knowledge of God, we are being changed, transformed by the Holy Spirit and we want to share the reason for the hope we have in Jesus. We want our friends, relatives, and non-believers know they can have the joy and peace that we have. We are to be ready to share our personal story of how Jesus has blessed our lives. We are supposed to do it with gentleness and respect, and from the love that we have for our Lord.
Sharing Christ is about developing a heart for others and expose them about Jesus. Its’ serving them, engaging them in conversation. Finding out about their families, their lives, their work, their dreams and their wounds. Praying for them and for the opportunity to share Jesus in a natural way of a relationship we build with them.
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From the outset, we “revere Christ as Lord”. This is the root of our faith. But inevitably people will question why. I Peter says to always be prepared to give an answer for the hope that you have. As Christ-followers this should be done with gentleness and respect. It will be better received from those who question, but additionally can change their own behavior toward you out of shame.
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We should honour Christ as Lord, because apologetics is ultimately about why we believe in and follow Christ. We should prepare ourselves to be ready to give an answer anytime. But we should do so with gentleness and respect, not in a proud and argumentative way. All this is so that we are credible in how we present the Christian faith to others.
#apologetics
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First, we must “revere Christ as Lord,” otherwise our witness would be fruitless. Second, we need to approach apologetics with gentleness and respect for the listener. We must ourselves display good character traits. The listener must feel that they are hearing words from an honest, faithful, and sincere person who wants to help them have a more fulfilling and more meaningful life. We must be “prepared to give an answer.”
