1 peter 3:15

[swimmerdude99]

I responded... care to reply to that?

You fulfilled your obligation and without prejudice,that is you did not prejudge my motives,so kudos to you.Obviously we have reached different conclusions about the nature of reality but that's ok,we are only discussing ideas after all.If only more adherents of theism were as straight..

Ah! well thank you for your non-offensive reply and ability to just discuss opinions. I love discussing all things theology, philosophy and science with friends, or just people that I meet that are interested in learning and understanding all people's opinions to make their own decision on what they find as truth. While I will always make attempts to convince people what I believe is the only Way, I also believe more firmly in my actions being the basis of and the most solid evidence for what I believe in.

Also just from something I saw in Ray Rider's post: If people are wondering how this verse relates to Christian's and maybe their activity here on the forums, my reason for not participating much is twofold.
1) I am busy and I think it more effective to talk and discuss with people in real life face to face with my time and to those who are searching for understanding and truth. I'm not saying what I say in the end will be what they follow, but I'm going to try to help those who are willing to be helped with what precious time I have. That is simple stewardship of time.
2) When I have tried to engage, many (not all, mind you) approach others on here with sarcasm and abrupt disagreement. I don't think any arguments or debates on here will have any real affect on someone's opinion. So all that one can accomplish is being mocked. We all know the saying, don't throw pearls before swine. If someone isn't even possibly to be receptive or actually looking to understand your beliefs, why share it with them? You are a fool to do so.

Again I thank you for being courteous Chang, its nice to know you disagree but that doesn't mean you feel the need to mock or the need to tell me I'm stupid. We can disagree and STILL have opinions in a conversatoin in this world, but that doesn't happen often on the internet, so I spend my time where what I say will actually effect someone.

God Bless you all.

P.S. Mr. Dimes hit the nail on the head with his post as to my sentiments.

[chang50]

I responded... care to reply to that?

You fulfilled your obligation and without prejudice,that is you did not prejudge my motives,so kudos to you.Obviously we have reached different conclusions about the nature of reality but that's ok,we are only discussing ideas after all.If only more adherents of theism were as straight..

Ah! well thank you for your non-offensive reply and ability to just discuss opinions. I love discussing all things theology, philosophy and science with friends, or just people that I meet that are interested in learning and understanding all people's opinions to make their own decision on what they find as truth. While I will always make attempts to convince people what I believe is the only Way, I also believe more firmly in my actions being the basis of and the most solid evidence for what I believe in.

Also just from something I saw in Ray Rider's post: If people are wondering how this verse relates to Christian's and maybe their activity here on the forums, my reason for not participating much is twofold.
1) I am busy and I think it more effective to talk and discuss with people in real life face to face with my time and to those who are searching for understanding and truth. I'm not saying what I say in the end will be what they follow, but I'm going to try to help those who are willing to be helped with what precious time I have. That is simple stewardship of time.
2) When I have tried to engage, many (not all, mind you) approach others on here with sarcasm and abrupt disagreement. I don't think any arguments or debates on here will have any real affect on someone's opinion. So all that one can accomplish is being mocked. We all know the saying, don't throw pearls before swine. If someone isn't even possibly to be receptive or actually looking to understand your beliefs, why share it with them? You are a fool to do so.

Again I thank you for being courteous Chang, its nice to know you disagree but that doesn't mean you feel the need to mock or the need to tell me I'm stupid. We can disagree and STILL have opinions in a conversatoin in this world, but that doesn't happen often on the internet, so I spend my time where what I say will actually effect someone.

God Bless you all.

P.S. Mr. Dimes hit the nail on the head with his post as to my sentiments.

Thank you,it's curious that the only openly confrontational and judgemental response was from Symm,someone who,going off past posts,does not appear to be a Christian or even a theist,but who evidently imagines himself to be a mind-reader.
Anyway I share your love of Philosophy and ideas,so maybe we can influence debate in a positive way here.I'm not naive enough to think it will be easy,I've lost my temper more than once,but it's not impossible.As I've said before,it's only ideas..

[PLAYER57832]

OK, normally I DO respond to such questions, but I have not been visiting CC multiple times a day as I once did.

Anyway, to start, it helps to look at more of the verse.

Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called—that you might inherit a blessing. 10 For "Those who desire life and desire to see good days, let them keep their tongues from evil and their lips from speaking deceit; 11 let them turn away from evil and do good; let them seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." 13 Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? 14 But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, 15 but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; 16 yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God's will, than to suffer for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, 20 who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water. 21 And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you—not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.

In this context, you see that this series of passages is part of consistant biblical advice. Essentially, it says that you need to do what is right, regardless of how other people act, and to act with compassion, not judgement to others.
The Mennonites have a saying along the lines of " I choose to act, not re-act". When you react, you are letting other people determine your actions.

I always say you can sum up the Bible in the two commandments of Christ "love thy God and love thy neighbor as thyself". This is just part of that.

As to how I, myself, apply this? Imperfectly, of course. I am not Christ, I try to follow him.

Other than that, if you have a specific context?

[chang50]

Thanx to all the Christians who replied,I've learned from them...

[2dimes]

My failures as a "Christian" are not by any means limited to 1 Peter 3:15, or 1 Peter for that matter.

Who is this Jude goof anyway. I can't even remember meeting the guy, yet he's out writing letters to Churches about me? If I see him I'm going to kick his ass!

I, Jude, am a slave to Jesus Christ and brother to James, writing to those loved by God the Father, called and kept safe by Jesus Christ. Relax, everything's going to be all right; rest, everything's coming together; open your hearts, love is on the way!
Fight with All You Have in You
Dear friends, I've dropped everything to write you about this life of salvation that we have in common. I have to write insisting—begging!—that you fight with everything you have in you for this faith entrusted to us as a gift to guard and cherish. What has happened is that some people have infiltrated our ranks (our Scriptures warned us this would happen), who beneath their pious skin are shameless scoundrels. Their design is to replace the sheer grace of our God with sheer license—which means doing away with Jesus Christ, our one and only Master.
Lost Stars in Outer Space
I'm laying this out as clearly as I can, even though you once knew all this well enough and shouldn't need reminding. Here it is in brief: The Master saved a people out of the land of Egypt. Later he destroyed those who defected. And you know the story of the angels who didn't stick to their post, abandoning it for other, darker missions. But they are now chained and jailed in a black hole until the great Judgment Day. Sodom and Gomorrah, which went to sexual rack and ruin along with the surrounding cities that acted just like them, are another example. Burning and burning and never burning up, they serve still as a stock warning.
This is exactly the same program of these latest infiltrators: dirty sex, rule and rulers thrown out, glory dragged in the mud.

The Archangel Michael, who went to the mat with the Devil as they fought over the body of Moses, wouldn't have dared level him with a blasphemous curse, but said simply, "No you don't. God will take care of you!" But these people sneer at anything they can't understand, and by doing whatever they feel like doing—living by animal instinct only—they participate in their own destruction. I'm fed up with them! They've gone down Cain's road; they've been sucked into Balaam's error by greed; they're canceled out in Korah's rebellion.

These people are warts on your love feasts as you worship and eat together. They're giving you a black eye—carousing shamelessly, grabbing anything that isn't nailed down.

They're—
Puffs of smoke pushed by gusts of wind;
late autumn trees stripped clean of leaf and fruit,
Doubly dead, pulled up by the roots;
wild ocean waves leaving nothing on the beach
but the foam of their shame;
Lost stars in outer space
on their way to the black hole.

Enoch, the seventh after Adam, prophesied of them: "Look! The Master comes with thousands of holy angels to bring judgment against them all, convicting each person of every defiling act of shameless sacrilege, of every dirty word they have spewed of their pious filth." These are the "grumpers," the bellyachers, grabbing for the biggest piece of the pie, talking big, saying anything they think will get them ahead.

But remember, dear friends, that the apostles of our Master, Jesus Christ, told us this would happen: "In the last days there will be people who don't take these things seriously anymore. They'll treat them like a joke, and make a religion of their own whims and lusts." These are the ones who split churches, thinking only of themselves. There's nothing to them, no sign of the Spirit!

But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God's love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life!

Go easy on those who hesitate in the faith. Go after those who take the wrong way. Be tender with sinners, but not soft on sin. The sin itself stinks to high heaven.

And now to him who can keep you on your feet, standing tall in his bright presence, fresh and celebrating—to our one God, our only Savior, through Jesus Christ, our Master, be glory, majesty, strength, and rule before all time, and now, and to the end of all time. Yes.

I bet he's the older brother of one of those hot girls I imagined naked all the time. I never liked those guys.