“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…” (1 Peter 3:15).

How many times do we hear someone say something “biblical” that is just slightly off, or maybe it sounds godly, but it is far from the truth. Something like “God is good, he would never send anyone to hell.” Or we are talking to someone who has anxiety and fear and is worried that they can never do enough or be good enough to be saved. Sometimes we rationalize what is true, and sometimes we inadvertently fall under false teaching. I have been reading in 2 Peter and in Jude lately, and both writers address the prevalence of false teachers distorting the gospel back in their day. Jude calls their response “contending for the faith.”

This topic was introduced in the Chaplain’s corner last week. The message in these two letters was not a popular one for their audience, but it was the truth. Peter and Jude spoke with the authority of the Scriptures by using examples from the Bible. Who is it who shows more love for Jesus and for others? The one who tells people what they want to hear or the one who tells people the truth?

Fortunately for us, both writers give us instructions on how to express our faith. Sometimes we are talking to those who have not heard the gospel, but more frequently, we are talking to those who have a faulty or incomplete knowledge of the Bible.

I. First, we must strengthen and prepare our hearts. James (brother of Jude and half-brother of Jesus) says “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27). What he means is that as we minister “in” the world, we must build ourselves and each other up so that we will not be corrupted “by” the world. Peter and Jude, as well as Paul and Luke, give us foundational and essential instruction:

A. But in your hearts set apart (revere) Christ as Lord. (1 Peter 3:15)

B. But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit… (Jude 1:20)

C. …keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. (Jude 1:21)

D. Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. (Acts 17:11)

II. Second, we strengthen our physical and mental selves. We see contending for the faith as our true vocation, our calling, and we are diligent to strengthen our minds and bodies for the work.

A. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (1 Peter 3:15)

B. I (Paul) discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.” (1 Corinthians 9:27)

III.  Third, we must guard our reputation so that we will not compromise the message by our behavior. That does not mean we are not worthy to witness to one other because of past behavior from which we have repented. It means that we now practice radical hospitality toward those we serve, and that we now hold ourselves accountable to God’s moral standards.

A. …keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (1 Peter 3:16)

IV. Fourth, after preparing our hearts, bodies, and minds we begin the process of building the relationship foundation for sharing the true gospel. Even though it is not Scripture, I think this “habit” of Stephen Covey “Seek first to understand, then to be understood” is critical to presenting the gospel in a way that it will be received. Not distorting the truth, but like Paul, “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” (1 Corinthians 9:22b-23).

A. …do this with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15)

B. Be merciful to those who doubt… (Jude 1:22)

C. …save others by snatching them from the fire… (Jude 1:23)

D. … to others show mercy… (Jude 1:23)

I hope you will take these teachings to heart as we contend for the faith during the course of our days, and most especially here at Nashville Rescue Mission where the fields are white with harvest.

In Christ,

Judy