1 Peter 3:15 AMP
[15] But in your hearts set Christ apart [as holy—acknowledging Him, giving Him first place in your lives] as Lord. Always be ready to give a [logical] defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope and confident assurance [elicited by faith] that is within you, yet [do it] with gentleness and respect.
Today's verse has a lot of lessons for us who are children of God. That is the audience first of all: those who have been called to inherit a blessing. You cannot live up to God's standards if He does not own and control your heart. That is the foundation to the rest of this verse. It is when the heart is under God's control that it can set Christ apart as holy. The heart knows its master and Lord, and is able to allow the Lord work in and out of that heart. It is a question that all of us must answer before the end of our lives come: who is in charge? Who defines your purpose, pursuits and priorities? It is also critical to note the key word 'holy' in the verse above. That is the minimum expectation of God from me. God does not compromise on His holiness, and all who may approach Him must know what is expected. The prayer of a sinner is an abomination in his ears, yet when such a sinner repents and returns to Him, there is grace for cleansing and restoration.
When God is in charge, then the output of my life will also line up with God's expectations. When God is first in my heart, every other person or thing finds its position. If God is first, nothing else is more important. He is everything I need, but the emphasis on Christ being Lord is also worthy of consideration. It means that I now serve a different master; a Lord who desires and demands ALL of my heart, not just a small part of it. One of the promises linked to His presence is the right word at the right time. As I am now on a path that is different from the world's, the world will ask me to account for the confidence and hope that I now have. I have to be able to speak about the peraon who has saved me and set me on the path to eternal life. Oh, men will definitely ask. You now answer to different standards and live differently from the world. Your new lifestyle challenges the sinful lifestyles around you. Men will surely ask you about the reason for your faith, and there is an assurance that because my heart is God's, He will provide the right words that will meet the moment.
This help by God also underlines the need for people to be attracted to the God I know and serve. They may not initially accept, and some may even reject the message to the end of their lives, but what is critical is that I present the message about Christ the right way, and give men the opportunity to examine my life, and respond appropriately. The end of the verse above defines the right approach. I know my God, but I also want men to know Him, so how I present Him also matters. I do it with gentleness and respect. I do it in the consciousness that if not for the grace of God, I would be lost too. I do it in humility, grateful for His call upon my life, and praying that others too will see the light. I defend the faith by promoting and advancing it in the lives of other people. I make sure my life is a visible, audible and accurate representation of God. Does this describe you? Does it really describe me? God's time of favour is here.
No comments:
Post a Comment