Hi Mike,
I searched your site and did not come up with a satisfactory answer to my question.
What is the “the hope that is in you” in the following verse and what would be the second witness?

1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

Thanks,
W____

Hi W____,
Thank you for your question.
You ask:

What is the “the hope that is in you” in the following verse and what would be the second witness?

1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”

The scriptures speak of many different kinds of hope, but they are one and all dependent upon, and they are all mentions as being dependent upon us being given life in which to receive any of the blessing of the many different kinds of hope mentioned in scripture.
We read of:
1) The hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers.

Act 26:6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:

2) The hope of Israel…

Act 28:20 For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.

3) The hope of the glory of God.

Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

4) The hope of righteousness by faith.

Gal 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

5) The hope of His calling.

Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

6) The hope of the gospel.

Col 1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

7) The hope of glory.

Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

8) The hope of salvation.

1Th 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

9) The hope of eternal life.

Tit 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
Tit 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

So the phrase “hope of…” appears ten times in the King James Version. Each time it is mentioned gives us another reason to have hope. “The promise made to the fathers… the hope of Israel… the hope of the glory of God… the hope of righteousness by faith… the hope of His calling… the hope of the gospel… and the hope of salvation”, are all centered around, and rest upon “the hope of eternal life. So it is instructive that “the hope of eternal life”, is mentioned twice in the epistle to Titus.
You asked for a second witness, so I have hope that you will be satisfied with what is given here. The reason for the hope that is in you should be that all of these verses are ultimately referring to “the hope of salvation”, which means deliverance from sin and death, and replacing the fear and slavery of sin and death with the confidence and “the hope of eternal life” in our Lord Jesus Christ. But that blessing would not be fully within us if this hope of salvation and deliverance from sin and death were not extended to all of our friends, our families, even our enemies and all of mankind, as indeed it is:

Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Ti 4:10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially [ but not exclusively] of those that believe.
1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Look at what Christ told the Sadducees who did not believe there is a resurrection:

Mat 22:23 The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,
Mat 22:24 Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
Mat 22:25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:
Mat 22:26 Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.
Mat 22:27 And last of all the woman died also.
Mat 22:28 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.

Christ’s crisp and clear logic in answer to these men who claimed to believe the scriptures, yet refused to believe in a resurrection, was stunning to these Sadducees, and it is stunning to this very day to all who profess to believe the scriptures, but who also believe that angels can marry humans:

Mat 22:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
Mat 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.

But Christ’s answer is centered around “the reason for the hope that is in us”.

Mat 22:31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
Mat 22:32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

The scriptures are clear that “the dead know not anything, and that without a resurrection, those who are asleep in Christ are perished”.

Ecc 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
1Co 15:16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
1Co 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith [ is] vain; ye are yet in your sins.
1Co 15:18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.

So what did Christ mean when He said?:

Mat 22:32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

Is Christ denying that we need to hope for a resurrection? Is Christ teaching that Abraham, Issac and Jacob have immortal souls, and are at this moment in heaven? Absolutely not! The resurrection to abundant life is “from among the dead”, and it is this resurrection of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all who have died, which is the reason for the hope that is within us, and it is “as touching the resurrection of the dead” that Christ made the statement that “God is not the God of the dead but of the living”. That “blessed and holy first resurrection” (Rev 20:6) is the hope of our calling.

Php 3:11 if somehow I should be attaining to the resurrection that is out from among the dead.

Here is how Luke words Christ’s answer to the Sadducees who did not believe in a resurrection. This verse demonstrates that life in a resurrected Christ is the hope of all men.

Luk 20:38 For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.

That is why Paul tells us that “without a resurrection, they that are asleep in Christ are perished”, and still Christ can affirm “The damsel is not dead, but sleepeth… Lazarus is asleep…” It is because “all live unto Him” and from God’s perspective, all who are dead are simply asleep, including but not limited to, “Abraham, Isaac and Jacob”.
So the ultimate reason for the hope which is in us is the promise of a life free from sin through a resurrection from among the dead, at the time of an event which in scripture is called “the redemption of the purchased possession”, which is also known as the “blessed and holy… first resurrection”.

Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

All of this being said, there is even more of a reason of the joy that is in us. It is still of utmost importance that we understand that “in earnest” or in down payment form, we are actually “free from sin” by being “crucified with, and resurrected with Christ” even now, and we are now “made to sit together with Him in the heavens”.

Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [ in the likeness] of [ his] resurrection:
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Rom 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Eph 1:8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
Eph 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
Eph 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

“For he that is dead is freed from sin” ( Rom 6:7). Are we really “free from sin,” while we are yet in these bodies of clay? The answer is yes, we are! It is simply undeniable.

Rom 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Rom 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Rom 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

Does “free from sin” mean we are no longer sin, or does it simply mean that sin is no longer our master? Here is what the scriptures teach:

1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind [ the same hope]: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

“He that hath suffered in the flesh… as Christ hath suffered”, is declared to “have ceased from sin”. Here is what that means in practice in this life:

Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

If that is not “a reason for the joy that is in you”, then nothing will give you joy. Being the master of your flesh instead of being its slave is nothing less than peace of mind. Living a life that is not dominated by sin in the flesh and experiencing “no condemnation”, is peace of mind, and peace of mind while yet in these “vessels of clay” is the greatest blessing that can be bestowed upon any man. It is a very good reason for the hope that is in you”.
I hope these verses of scripture are used of our Lord to give you “a reason of the hope that is in you…”
Your brother in Christ,
Mike