Make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for THE hope that is in you

[tonychanyt]

1 Peter 3:

15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

What is this hope?

Let's see the broader context. 1 Peter 1:

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

Jesus died on the cross to give us new birth, to be born of the Spirit (Paraclete). The living hope refers to the Paraclete dwelling in us.

13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.

This hope refers to our hope for Jesus' second coming.

21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

Now hope is paired with faith in believing in God.

1 Peter 3:

5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God

i.e., believed

used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands,

15a but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.

The hope refers to

1. the indwelling Paraclete in us
2. our looking forward to Jesus coming
3. our faith in God.

We are to be ready to give reasons for all of the above.

yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

Even when people don't believe your reasons and logic, be nice. There are occasions when it is God's will for you to suffer that way.

 

[One God and Father of All]

1 Peter 3:


What is this hope?

Let's see the broader context. 1 Peter 1:


Jesus died on the cross to give us new birth, to be born of the Spirit (Paraclete). The living hope refers to the Paraclete dwelling in us.


This hope refers to our hope for Jesus' second coming.


Now hope is paired with faith in believing in God.

1 Peter 3:


i.e., believed



The hope refers to

1. the indwelling Paraclete in us
2. our looking forward to Jesus coming
3. our faith in God.

We are to be ready to give reasons for all of the above.


Even when people don't believe your reasons and logic, be nice. There are occasions when it is God's will for you to suffer that way.

If someone asked you to give reason for your hope, do you think the reason you give should be reasonable to the person asking?

 

[tonychanyt]

If someone asked you to give reason for your hope, do you think the reason you give should be reasonable to the person asking?

Good question. I'll try, but I can't satisfy everyone. I'll leave the convincing to God.

 

[One God and Father of All]

I suppose the idea of an intelligent Creator to be reasonable.

What might we say of this intelligent Creator as to His purpose in creation that might also be reasonable?

 

[tonychanyt]

What might we say of this intelligent Creator as to His purpose in creation that might also be reasonable?

What is reasonable to me now was not reasonable before I turned to God. Now I think the Bible is reasonable See A Disciplined Probabilistic Approach to Biblical Hermeneutics

 

[One God and Father of All]

What is reasonable to me now was not reasonable before I turned to God. Now I think the Bible is reasonable See A Disciplined Probabilistic Approach to Biblical Hermeneutics

Ultimately, I think the reasonableness of our hope must be reasoned from the scripture with those who accept, or are at least willing to accept them as true.

 

[One God and Father of All]

I must admit that if someone gives me a reason for their hope, based on their understanding of scripture, that is unreasonable to me, I usually reject it.
If someone says “yeah, I know it doesn’t make sense, but I believe it anyway”.
I look for another.

 

[One God and Father of All]

If the scripture teaches something that is unreasonable to me, then I must reject all the scripture. If I believe the scripture does in fact teach something that is reasonable to me, then I’ll reject only all those ideas that are unreasonable. That’s where I stand.

 

[One God and Father of All]

Would you agree that if you are to give reason for your hope that it ought to be reasonable?

 

[tonychanyt]

Would you agree that if you are to give reason for your hope that it ought to be reasonable?

Yes, to me, but what is reasonable to me may not be reasonable to others (non-believers and even believers). We have different methods of reasoning.

 

[One God and Father of All]

Yes, to me, but what is reasonable to me may not be reasonable to others (non-believers and even believers). We have different methods of reasoning.

If someone said, “but that’s not reasonable”, you would say “It’s reasonable to me”?

 

[One God and Father of All]

If something is reasonable, I would think it be reasonable to anyone who could reason.

 

[One God and Father of All]

Acts 24:15 I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection [e]of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. 16This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.

”the dead” is not in the Greek , but that’s what Paul is referring to. There is to be a resurrection of the just and unjust.

1 Cor 15:12 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen.

Paul‘s hope here is that there is to be a resurrection of the dead in which he is to partake.

if there is to be a resurrection of the dead, it is reasonable to think that those to be raised are dead. So how is it some say they are not dead?

 

[One God and Father of All]

Acts 24:15 I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection [e]of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. 16This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.

Who are in the grave? is it not both the just and unjust?

 

[tonychanyt]

If something is reasonable, I would think it be reasonable to anyone who could reason.

Are you familiar with First-Order Logic?

 

[One God and Father of All]

Are you familiar with First-Order Logic?

First-Order Logic does not replace logic which allows us to understand something. It only extends the premise.

 

[One God and Father of All]

If I say “Socrates is a man”, is that true or false?

if I say “All men are mortal”, is that true of false?

If I then claim that Socrates is mortal, would that be true or false?

Suppose I extend the premise to say:

”Socrates is an immortal soul in a human body called man”

“All persons are immortal souls in human bodies”

”Therefore no person who is an immortal soul dies”

it is therefore absurd that one would attempt to save someone who never dies, because an immortal soul, by definition, is a soul that never dies.

 

[One God and Father of All]

If I say “Socrates is a man”, is that true or false?

if I say “All men are mortal”, is that true of false?

If I then claim that Socrates is mortal, would that be true or false?

Suppose I extend the premise to say:

”Socrates is an immortal soul in a human body called man”

“All persons are immortal souls in human bodies”

”Therefore no person who is an immortal soul dies”

it is therefore absurd that one would attempt to save someone who never dies, because an immortal soul, by definition, is a soul that never dies.

The original premise is affirmed to be true by the false premise.

Socrates himself is a man, and all men are mortal, therefore Socrates is mortal.

If you make Socrates himself to be immortal then no person is mortal because all are like Socrates.

 

[tonychanyt]

First-Order Logic does not replace logic which allows us to understand something. It only extends the premise.

Are you familiar with First-Order Logic?

This is the 2nd time I have asked.

 

[One God and Father of All]

Socrates is an immortal soul.

All persons are immortal souls.

Therefore no person ever dies.