Be Prepared to Speak the Truth 

This is what Peter wrote to scattered Christians in the first century and it still provides us with a foundational guide for all our interactions with others. While Peter is specifically speaking about interactions with unbelievers, the principle remains the same; we have a duty to speak the truth to those that ask us. 

This duty is abundantly obvious when we think of the great commission the Lord gave: “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” As disciples, we are called to be ready to share the gospel with others and to be able to provide reasons for why we believe what we believe.

Doing this well will involve immersing ourselves in the gospel, understanding what it is in essence and how best we can communicate it depending on the context of our conversation with someone. We also need to be prepared to answer questions posed to us. Questions about who Christ is, what the gospel is and why we believe it. This does not demand that we be expert in every area of apologetics, the call on us given by Peter is that we are able to “make a defence” or “give a reason” for our faith. We don’t necessarily need to be able to answer every objection. However we are expected to be able to make some positive case for why we believe the gospel is true. 

As well as being prepared for evangelism, our duty to speak the truth to others includes believers. As we grow and develop as Christians there will inevitably be those coming behind us who are able to learn from our experience. Those who want to know how to start contributing and helping their local church, those who want to be more outspoken about their faith to their friends. Regardless of what it is, we should be preparing ourselves with advice and insight that we have found helpful and be ready to pass it on to those that need it.

As Christian men, our preparedness is essential to our proper functioning for God. Many of us, if we do not already have a family, likely will one day. This is a serious responsibility. Our role as husbands and fathers places great importance on our proper knowledge of the truth. In speaking about wives (in the context of the local church) Paul says, “If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands” (1 Corinthians 14:35). Furthermore in Ephesians 6 verse 4, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” We will never be able to fulfil either of these roles if we are not prepared. If we do not know the Lord and do not know his word, we will be of no use in leading a family, being the spiritual leader of the house and raising children in the “instruction of the Lord.” 

God in saving us gave us access to the truth. This is a great responsibility. Preparing ourselves with wisdom and truth will prove to be vital to all our interactions, both with unbelievers and believers. Proverbs emphasises the importance of acquiring wisdom. “Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight” (Proverbs 4:7). As young men this needs to be a priority if we are to mature into the kind of men others can look to for instruction and truth.