Making a defense

1 Peter 3:16 – ‘Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you…’

In his book How to Reach Secular People, George G. Hunter attests that Christians who effectively reach secular people are those who are honest about themselves, honest about their relationships with each other, with God, and with the secular seekers. They realize they are also part of the secularized world, affected by its values and assumptions. From this awareness, they avoid a ‘holier-than-thou’ attitude and can share the foundations of their faith with a realism that the non-believing person can appreciate.

Today's version of 'making a defense' is really more about a way of life than a statement of belief. It is a way of being in the world, an unpretentious and honest approach to life that is grounded in the hope arising from the gospel of Christ and therefore committed to personal investment in the lives, cares and concerns of others.