“Today’s Bible Verse” on CB’s home page on 5/26/12 was 1 Peter 3:15-16. Let’s take another look at it.

“But in your hearts set apart 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, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” (NIV)

The key to the above verse for me is “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”

Unfortunately, I must say that at this moment, I do not have an answer prepared if someone asks me to explain the reason for my faith. That, however, is going to change.

Being prepared in this manner is not foreign to me. For example, if I have to make an important phone call to a company with whom I do business, I will rehearse in my mind (or on paper) my responses to questions they might ask me.

If I am planning on discussing an important family matter with one of my adult children, I also think in advance about potential questions and answers that will arise.

When I worked as a school principal, I would rehearse my side of the conversation before teacher interviews, parent conferences, and teacher evaluations.

I prepared for these conversations because they were too important to “just wing it” when the situation arose.

Well, if these matters are considered important by me, then explaining my faith to a non believer is certainly much more important, and deserves preparation.

Therefore, I am going to temporarily stop writing this blog, reflect on 1 Peter 3:15-16, and examine the for my faith. I want to return to this blog with definite, concise, and effective reasons that I can share with nonbelievers, anytime and anyplace. In the words of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “Terminator“, “I’ll be back!”


TWO DAYS LATER


I’m back, and here is the answer that I have prepared for anybody who asks me why I am a Christian. I won’t have to fumble around and “hem and haw”. I’m ready for them.

I have faith in the God of the Bible for three main reasons.

1. God created the universe, and everything in it, including man. I know this because science agrees with the Bible that the universe had a beginning. I know that you can’t make something out of nothing. The universe didn’t somehow produce itself. You can’t have randomness creating order; unconsciousness producing consciousness; non-life producing life. The universe had a beginning and was created by God, who is eternal.

2. The Bible is the inspired Word of God. I have read the Bible cover to cover two times. I have read the New Testament, beginning to end, several times. I have studied the Bible for many years. I am convinced that no man, or group of men, could have written a book of such perfection . It was written by God, through men; not by men about God.

3. The Bible promises eternal life to those who believe in, and follow Jesus Christ. Since the Bible was written by the God who created the universe, I’m going to follow the instructions He has given mankind in His book. The main idea of those instructions given in the Bible are that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins; we should believe He is the Son of God; we should try to live our lives in accordance with His teachings and example.

This is going to be my response to non believers who ask me why I’m a Christian. What’s yours?

“He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.” (Titus 1:9 NIV)