Acts 21:40–22:10; 1 Peter 3:15–17

Bible Studies for Life
Chair and Armstrong Professor of Religion, Department of Religion, Samford University

Making Your Case
Acts 21:40–22:10; 1 Peter 3:15–17
In the early days of the Christian church, a group of Christian leaders became known as the “Apologists.” These leaders were not apologizing for their faith in the sense of being diffident about what they believed. Instead, they developed strong intellectual, moral and spiritual arguments to seek to convince their contemporaries of the truth of the Christian gospel and help people come to faith in Jesus. In the 21st century, the need for Christians to articulate in word and action the reality of the Christian faith is no less important. As Western society is under attack from secular forces that deny the very existence of God and the importance of the Christian message, believers need to be equipped to share the good news of God’s love with people in need.

Be Prepared (1 Pet. 3:15–17)
Peter reminded believers that they should always be ready to share their faith with people who ask them. He was writing in the context of a threat of persecution, and when he spoke about being “ready to make your defense,” there may be a hint of an official charge being brought against Christians from secular authorities. In our context, there are many opportunities that arise in a culture in which Christianity is respectable for believers to present a vibrant witness to faith in Jesus Christ. Peter encouraged us to be careful how we do this. Our goal is not to win arguments but to gently, yet firmly, speak of our faith in God. Peter knew, however, that if our witness is to be effective, then it must be backed up with a life of “good conduct.” Nothing will put people off the message of Christianity more than Christians who talk the talk but do not walk the walk.

Establish a Connection (Acts 21:40–22:3)
In Acts 21, Paul returned from a missionary journey to Jerusalem and was arrested by the Roman authorities after a group of Jews accosted him in the temple. He was given permission to speak to the people, many of whom were antagonistic to his message and others who were wondering what all the commotion was about. Paul’s first action in speaking to the people was to establish a connection with them. A little earlier, he had used the Greek language to gain the attention of the Roman tribune who had taken him into custody but now he spoke to the Jewish people in Hebrew. He continued to make a connection with them by speaking of his Jewish background and gratitude to God for their shared religious heritage. In Acts 17, speaking to a group of Greek philosophers, he quoted poetry and philosophy. Here, however, he used the Hebrew Scriptures to communicate his faith in Christ as the fulfillment of all the promises contained within the Old Testament. In a similar way, we need to make connections with people, treating them with respect, knowing who they are and what they know and believe and seeking to communicate our faith in a way that makes sense. As Paul made his “defense” in verse 1 (the same word that is used in 1 Peter 3:15), his main purpose was not to save himself but to share God’s love with people who are lost.

Share Your Experience (Acts 22:4–10)
The focus of Paul’s defense was not merely an intellectual presentation of the Christian faith, but he shared his personal testimony of encountering Jesus Christ. This does not imply that it is unimportant to have knowledge of the Christian faith, a deep acquaintance with the truth of Scripture and Christian theology. However, beyond an intellectual awareness of truth, there is the power of personal experience, especially if it is backed up with a life of holiness. I was brought to faith in Christ when I was 9 years of age. The person who made the difference on a Monday evening in January 1961 was a man who offered his life, along with others, to teach children the message of the Christian faith. He wasn’t a preacher. He was simply a Sunday School teacher in Prestwick, Scotland, but his life of kindness, simple words of testimony and prayer at the end of our evening together made me think. Later that evening, I gave my life to Jesus, my Savior. We may not be a Peter or a Paul, but we can all share our experience of God’s love that has touched our lives.