Pop Quiz; Subject: "What You Believe" - Ready?

I hate moving. Really. I do.
It's not just the packing, the loading, and the unpacking. It's the forwarding of mail, the changing of addresses, setting up billing for utilities, and updating things like insurance and my driver's license.

This week I finally got around to changing my Kentucky driver's license to an Illinois driver's license. I took the required materials to the clerk. They checked over everything. I signed some papers. I thought I was finished.

"Now you'll have to take the written test."

Say what?

I instantly started sweating. I hate pop quizzes. I like to feel prepared. Then comes the feeling of guilt. I've been driving for over ten years now. I ought to know the rules of the road. But I couldn't help but think to myself, "What if I don't know them as well as I think I do? What if I fail?"

What if I fail?

Well, I didn't fail. I actually made a 97% (only because I didn't know about alcohol laws in Illinois). But I was more than a little tense before I took it. After all, the clerk held on to my Kentucky license until after I took the test. I didn't know if I was going to get it back if I failed. I didn't want to have to walk home.

I'm reminded of 1 Peter 3.15, where we are told to "always be ready to give a defense" for the hope that is in us. Another way of saying that is that we need to be ready for "pop quizzes."

Many of us have been Christians for years. We are experienced in living the Christian life. But how nervous would it make you for someone to start quizzing you as to why you do the things you do?

Are you always ready to give the right answer (which is what Peter is talking about) to anyone who asks you about your faith? It might be a good thing for you to take some time and refresh yourself on the "book, chapter, and verse" of a few of the following ideas:

• What does the Bible say about sin? Who has done it? Who's responsible? What does it do to our relationship with God?


• Salvation - What do you have to do? Can you name the verses?


• Worship - What and why, and where do you find it?


• Is Jesus the only way to Heaven? Why?


• Why don't we live by the Old Testament any more?


• Are we saved by grace/faith alone? Why not? How do we know?


• Can someone fall from grace (lose their salvation)?


• When did the church of Christ begin? Where do we read about it?


• What will happen when Jesus comes again?

These are just a few ideas that popped into my mind. Can you give "book, chapter, and verse" to support what you believe?

Are you ready to answer when asked? If not, why not?

-Daniel