But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and 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.
- 1 Peter 3:15 (KJV)
Faith Doesn’t Require Intellectual Surrender
One of the most persistent misconceptions about Christianity is that it demands believers to leave their brain at the door: to abandon reason in favor of blind faith. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Scripture itself demonstrates that God values our minds and invites us to engage intellectually with our faith.
In Isaiah 1:18, we find a remarkable invitation: Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Notice that God doesn’t appeal to our emotions alone or rely solely on miraculous signs to draw us to salvation. Instead, He goes through the mind to reach the heart, inviting us to reason together with Him.
Faith Based on Evidence
Consider how we exercise faith in everyday life. When you step into an elevator, you’re demonstrating faith but it’s not blind faith. You may have never witnessed the installation process, never met the engineers who designed it, or the electricians who wired it. Yet you step confidently onto that lift because you have evidence: building codes, safety inspections, professional certifications, and a track record of successful operation.
Your faith in the elevator is grounded in evidence and trust in the expertise of those who built it. Similarly, our Christian faith should be built on evidence: historical, philosophical, experiential, and biblical. This evidence-based foundation means we should welcome questions rather than shy away from them.
The Call to Apologetics
This is precisely what Peter calls us to in 1 Peter 3:15. The Greek word translated as “answer” is apologia a legal term meaning a reasoned defense. We’re commanded to be ready to give a rational explanation for the hope that resides within us. This isn’t optional for some Christians while others get a pass; it’s a universal calling for all believers.
However, the verse doesn’t end with just giving an answer. The manner in which we respond is crucial.
Meekness: Power Under Control
But how should we respond?
Peter instructs us to give our defense “with meekness and fear.” Why meekness specifically, and not simply humility? The distinction matters.
Consider Moses, whom Scripture describes as “very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3). Moses had tremendous power and authority he spoke with God face to face, led an entire nation, and had multiple opportunities where God offered to make him the father of a great nation. Yet Moses never used his position for self-aggrandisement or personal satisfaction.
Meekness, then, is power without personal pursuit. It’s strength under control, authority exercised without selfish ambition. When we engage in apologetics, when we give reasons for our hope, we must do so with this same spirit.
It will be easy, knowing the truth, to boast in it and can lead us to disdain or despise those who would question it.
The Right Heart Posture
This means our defense of the faith shouldn’t be driven by a desire to win arguments, embarrass opponents, or showcase our intellectual superiority. Instead, it should flow from genuine love for truth and concern for those asking the questions.
We must be prepared for the reality that our thoughtful, reasoned responses may not always be well-received. Some will respond with gratitude and genuine interest. Others may become more hostile or dismissive. Regardless of the response we receive, our calling remains the same: to “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15).
Practical Application
So how do we live this out practically?
Study and Prepare: Invest time in understanding not just what you believe, but why you believe it. Study Scripture. Be familiar with common objections and thoughtful responses.
Listen First: Before rushing to defend, make sure you understand what’s actually being asked. Sometimes apparent attacks on faith are really expressions of pain or genuine confusion.
Respond with Grace: Remember that the goal isn’t to win debates but to represent Christ well. Let your manner be as compelling as your message.
Trust God with Results: Your responsibility is faithfulness in the moment giving the best answer you can with the right heart attitude. The Holy Spirit is responsible for what happens with that answer in the hearer’s heart.
Conclusion
Christianity doesn’t ask us to commit intellectual suicide. Instead, it invites us into the grand adventure of faith seeking understanding. As we grow in our ability to give reasons for our hope, may we do so with the meekness of Moses—wielding truth and knowledge not as weapons of personal victory, but as tools of love in service to the King who first reasoned with us in our rebellion and drew us to Himself through both mind and heart.
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
- 2 Timothy 2:15