## Giving An Answer

## I Peter 3:15

There are three passages in the Bible that tells us that it is necessary for a Christian to be able to give an answer in helping spread the gospel of Christ. Let's notice them. (These may seem like "tall orders" but we must understand they are not as difficult with a little practice.)

Read : 2 Tim. 2:24-26

I. The Necessity of Giving an Answer

A. First of all we must all be able to teach for the reason that those who are in opposition to God's word may know the truth and come to their senses.

1. This expresses the need for us all to teach, for there are many who need to know the truth and come to their senses so that they may escape the snare of the devil.

2. And it is going to require that we be able to teach.

B. Secondly we need to understand that we are always to be ready.

1. It is not optional.

2. God expects us to be ready at all times to give an answer to those who ask us about our hope.

3. This doesn't mean that we are supposed to be able every theological question that someone may ask….it is talking about our personal relationship to God.

C. Note an admonition from Paul.

(COL 4:5-6) "WALK IN WISDOM TOWARD THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT, REDEEMING THE TIME. {6} LET YOUR SPEECH BE ALWAY WITH GRACE, SEASONED WITH SALT, THAT YE MAY KNOW HOW YE OUGHT TO ANSWER EVERY MAN."

II. What is needed for us to accomplish this?

A. The Preparation

1. We must have a heart of righteousness

(PROV 15:28) "THE HEART OF THE RIGHTEOUS STUDIETH TO ANSWER: BUT THE MOUTH OF THE WICKED POURETH OUT EVIL THINGS."

a. From the very beginning we see that we must have a heart of righteousness.

b. Righteousness obviously pertains to the character that we, as Christians, are to have--the character or quality of doing right or just.

c. Righteousness = doing right!

2. The source of this righteousness.

(MAT 3:15) "AND JESUS ANSWERING SAID UNTO HIM, SUFFER IT TO BE SO NOW: FOR THUS IT BECOMETH US TO FULFIL ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS. THEN HE SUFFERED HIM."

a. After John tried to prevent Jesus from being baptized Jesus said it was the right thing to do.

b. Jesus fulfilled everything that was right and just for him to do.

c. We should look to his character to see what it means for us to be righteous.

d. That means that our heart should have the same qualities as His.

e. We should have a heart that expresses itself in unselfish sacrifice, a love for people, and a readiness to follow where the Lord leads and directs.

f. This is where we must begin!

B. We Must Study

1. Secondly we see from this verse that those who have a righteous heart studies how to answer.

2. We must study!

a. A study of the Bible.

1) Knowledge of the Bible and its teachings is fundamental to becoming effective.

2) The whole purpose of giving an answer is to direct and help the one who questions to a clear understanding of the Bible.

3) It is dangerous to try to teach another when we know not what we are trying to teach.

(MAT 15:14) "LET THEM ALONE: THEY BE BLIND LEADERS OF THE BLIND. AND IF THE BLIND LEAD THE BLIND, BOTH SHALL FALL INTO THE DITCH."

4) That is why we have Sunday morning Bible studies and Wednesday night Bible Studies.

5) They are to give and provide us with information that builds our faith but also to give us information that we can give out to others.

b. A study of people.

1) To win men and women to Christ we must know people.

2) We can sympathize, we can learn.

C. Add Knowledge To Our Lips

(PROV 16:23) "THE HEART OF THE WISE TEACHETH HIS MOUTH, AND ADDETH LEARNING TO HIS LIPS."

1. Here is where the problem lies.

2. Most of the studying we do is not taught to our mouth nor added to our lips; and when it comes time to give an answer, our mouths don't move.

3. We draw a blank. We don't know what say.

4. What we learn from God's word, we are responsible to teach to our lips.

5. We must remember that we have been: Taught to Teach, Won to Win, and Saved to Serve.

6. We must exercise ourselves in applying what we study personally and in Bible classes.

7. We need to use what we have learned.

III. The Condition Of The Hearer

A. We need to consider the people we encounter.

1. We are going to meet all types of people in this world.

2. We should not try to project what their reaction will be or what the probable result might be when we have the opportunity to talk with them.

3. The gospel is for all men.

4. But are we guilty at pre-judging someone and not giving an answer.

5. Would we have taught Saul of Tarsus to be "worthy" of an answer?

B. Although we meet all types of people in this world all at least fall into one of three different categories.

1. Sincere 2. Saved 3. Satisfied.

C. Consider Some Examples

1. Nicodemus of John 3.

2. What about the women at the well, the story in John 4.

3. Consider the adulterous women, she needed to be deal with by showing compassion and yet with a correction of her lifestyle. John 8:7-11

4. When Peter preached on the day of Pentecost, he knew his audience and he started exactly where they were at.

5. Phillip with the Eunuch.

6. Paul put himself in the place, or rather of those whom he endeavored to win to Christ.

(1 COR 9:22) "TO THE WEAK BECAME I AS WEAK, THAT I MIGHT GAIN THE WEAK: I AM MADE ALL THINGS TO ALL MEN, THAT I MIGHT BY ALL MEANS SAVE SOME."

IV. How We Ought To Answer

A. God's way

(PROV 14:12) "THERE IS A WAY WHICH SEEMETH RIGHT UNTO A MAN, BUT THE END THEREOF ARE THE WAYS OF DEATH."

1. We must always answer according to God's ways and the principles outlined in His Word.

2. His methods work; for they have been tested and proved.

3. If we use our own methods the end may very well be death to the souls of those we are instructing.

B. With the right spirit.

1. We are to give an answer with meekness and fear.

(1 PET 3:15) "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:"

2. We are to be gentle and have humility.

(2 TIM 2:24) "AND THE SERVANT OF THE LORD MUST NOT STRIVE; BUT BE GENTLE UNTO ALL MEN, APT TO TEACH, PATIENT,"

3. Proverbs warns us about how to answer.

(PROV 14:33) "WISDOM RESTETH IN THE HEART OF HIM THAT HATH UNDERSTANDING: BUT THAT WHICH IS IN THE MIDST OF FOOLS IS MADE KNOWN."

a. Our answer to men must be friendly and gentle.

b. A soft answer is not a weak answer, nor should it compromise the truth or righteousness.

c. It is to be firm in SUBSTANCE but soft in spirit.

C. With Reason And Explanation

1. 'Just because' is not an acceptable answer.

2. Paul reasoned with people

(ACTS 17:2-3) "AND PAUL, AS HIS MANNER WAS, WENT IN UNTO THEM, AND THREE SABBATH DAYS REASONED WITH THEM OUT OF THE SCRIPTURES, {3} OPENING AND ALLEGING, THAT CHRIST MUST NEEDS HAVE SUFFERED, AND RISEN AGAIN FROM THE DEAD; AND THAT THIS JESUS, WHOM I PREACH UNTO YOU, IS CHRIST."

3. He did not argue with them; but he took time to explain things to them from God's Word.

4. It matters little what we have to say, but it makes a big difference about what God's Word says.

We must be aware that we are obligated to give an answer, we must be able to give an answer, and we must always be ready to give an answer. We need to prepare ourselves more thoroughly to have a heart of righteousness, study the Bible and study the people we have an opportunity to give an answer to. We need to consider those who hear and realize that they are all different. We need to know that their eternity is in the balance