Lesson 8
How do I give an answer without losing ground?
The Position
You are not there to win. You are there to give a reason. 1 Peter 3:15 says be ready to give an answer, with meekness and fear. The goal is truth, not victory.
1 Peter 3:15
“be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.”
The command is to be ready, to have a reason, and to give it with meekness and fear. Not to silence the other person. Not to win. To give a clear and honest reason for what you believe.
Supporting Verses
2 Timothy 2:25
“In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves.”
Those who oppose the truth often oppose themselves. Meekness is the right posture because the goal is their good, not your victory.
Deuteronomy 29:29
“The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever.”
Mystery is a real category. It does not cover what has been clearly stated. Stick to the revealed things.
What They Will Say
“You are just arguing. This does not matter for salvation.”
What You Say Back
The doctrines matter because they shape how the gospel is presented. A God who offers salvation to all is different from a God who offers it only to some. That difference shapes how you talk to a person who is afraid they might not be among the chosen. The answer to that person is whosoever will. That is worth being ready to give.
The One Line to Remember
“Mystery is a real category. It does not cover what has been clearly stated.”