1 Peter 3:15 15but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord, always being ready to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a word about the hope that is in you,
This verse gives the spiritual answer to suffering. Instead of fearing what others might do to us or what opposition we might face in doing good, we can sanctify Christ as Lord and Master of our lives. As we do good in difficult situations, we should be ready to give a reason for why we do good, instead of responding in revenge or complaint. We do good not because we want people to think highly of us but because Christ is our Lord. Our motive is because we want to please our Master. We serve a higher authority than any master, boss, leader, or authority in this world.
The word for sanctify (hagiasate) shares the same root as holy. Jesus is to be the one we set aside from everyone and everything else to be first in our lives. When we abide in him through the commitment of faith and he abides in us through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, we will be better prepared to give answer for the hope that he brings to us. They may want to know the reason why we respond in certain ways. The door of opportunity opens to bear witness to our hope in Christ. Hope is a powerful driving force for the choices people makes. It is an important theme in this letter ((1:3, 13, 21; 3:5). We do not have to be pushy or aggressive but with gentleness and fear (phobou), meaning reverence and respect. Defense (apologian) is not an aggressive word, as in football, nor is it a passive word, as its English equivalent of “apology.” It expresses the readiness to describe what one believes, using good reason and clear explanation. This readiness requires that Christians are prepared for an opportunity and know what and why they believe.