Always Be Prepared: Explaining the Hope We Have in Christ
Last week I received this text from a young man who is searching. He asked:
“How would you answer the question, ‘Why would you want to give up everything in your life to follow Christ?” Why would you give up your independence and be controlled by Him?”
As followers of Jesus, we are called to be prepared to explain the hope we have in Christ whenever the opportunity arises.
The Apostle Peter counsels us to honor Christ the Lord as holy in our hearts and to be always prepared to give a defense with gentleness and respect to anyone who asks us for a reason for the hope we have (1 Peter 3:15).
According to Peter, Christians are called to cultivate hearts that worship Christ, minds shaped by His Word, lives that display genuine hope, and speech marked by gentleness and respect.
Being prepared is not just knowing what to say. It is living each day as a faithful follower of Christ so that our beliefs, attitudes, and actions continually point others to the hope we have in Him.
Here are some practical steps that will help us be prepared:
First, know what you believe. Christians are expected to understand the gospel well enough to explain it clearly. To do this, we study the Word and learn the core doctrines of our faith. We should understand why our beliefs are true and be able to explain the hope we have in Christ.
Second, know why you believe it. Peter explains that we are to give a reason for our beliefs. We don’t present our beliefs as blind faith. Christianity is grounded in God’s revelation through Scripture and the historical life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Third, be ready to share what you believe. We are to always be prepared to share the truth of Scripture. As with the text I received, we never know when we will be asked to defend our faith and share the truth with others.
Sharing the hope we have because of our relationship with Christ is our primary goal.
You may be wondering how I responded to the text I received. This wasn't something I spent hours preparing. It was simply an opportunity to explain the hope I have in Christ. Here is my response:
“When you say “independence,” what kind of freedom do you mean? What do you want to do with the freedom you have apart from Christ?”
“If I thought following Christ meant giving up freedom, I might be concerned too. I believe what you call independence is an illusion. You’re concerned about being controlled, yet something or someone already controls you. When I believed I had ultimate authority, I didn’t realize I was enslaved to my selfish desires and sin. I was deluded into thinking I was freely choosing my path.”
“I follow Christ because I believe He is who He claims to be. He is the Son of God who died and rose again to reconcile sinners to the Creator of the universe. Christ never takes away what is truly good. He frees us from what destroys us. I surrendered a self-centered life to gain a relationship with the One who created me, who knows me better than I know myself, and who has promised to guide me and provide what I need to live a life that honors Him and others. I didn’t give up anything but a self-destructive lifestyle. I gained peace, love for others, love for my Creator, wisdom and discernment, and the ability to overcome my selfish desires. I didn’t lose anything of value but gained something of immense value through this relationship.” [1]
As you can see, not every answer provided will sound prepared or rehearsed (or, as in this case, have correct spelling and punctuation). Being prepared means that your heart is anchored in Christ, so when the opportunity comes, you can speak of Him with truth, gentleness, and hope.
How would you have answered this question?
[1] For this article, my response has been edited only to correct spelling and punctuation and to improve clarity by rewording a couple of sentences. The substance of my response has not changed.