Peter 3:15-17 NLT‬
[15] “Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. [16] But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. [17] Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!”

The next ‘gem’ in Peter’s treasure chest is one some believers need to learn. How many ‘Bible-bashing’ believers there are that think they are being witnesses for Jesus! “Hit people over the head with God’s Word!” is their method of spreading the gospel. “Turn or burn,” is their message and God’s love for sinners becomes the club by which unbelieving sinners are alerted to their need.

Unfortunately, this type of ‘witness’ often does not flow from a life submitted to the authority of Jesus. Sometimes guilt drives us to preach to sinners rather than to show them what God can do.

Peter shows us how true witnessing works. A witness is one who has first-hand knowledge, either by seeing an event unfold, for example, a crime committed, or by being the one who experiences what he is advocating.

A life transformed by God’s grace can never be contradicted by reason or argument. God works in a human heart, changing it inside from a selfish, greedy, lawless individual to a loving, caring, and unselfish person who lives beyond himself to serve others. No one can explain what happened or argue the change away. It’s real and permanent. It’s visible and inexplicable outside of God’s grace.

Jesus was the epitome of a human living under the Father’s authority. And people could not understand Him!

So, the only way another person can understand is for the witness to explain what happened.

Peter says there is a progression in the process of witnessing. He knew that because he had first-hand knowledge. Remember who Peter was…an over-confident young motor-mouth. He fell badly despite his bragging. However, one day the Holy Spirit came, and Peter was never the same again.

Witnessing begins with a life submitted to Jesus as Lord, our supreme authority in every aspect and detail in life. It’s a tough learning experience, bringing our unruly self-will into submission to Jesus. Only God’s grace and the power of the Holy Spirit can help us win the battle against our old selfish nature.

‭Galatians 5:16-17 NLT‬
[16] “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. [17] The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.”

Pride must go – that persistent, toxic attitude that I am the centre of the universe.” I can do it. I don’t need you…or God, to cope.”

Only God knows what we are, and only He can bring down that stronghold by whittling away at our self-sufficiency until we learn to surrender to His disciplines.

How subtley pride creeps in, even in our witnessing for Jesus! That attitude of contempt, “I know the truth. You don’t! I’m saved. You aren’t! I’m right. You are wrong!” can so easily lurk beneath the surface of our words.

So, Peter urges, “First, live it out, then tell your story, remembering that, but for God’s grace, you were where they are now.”