Stand Firm
“Through Silvanus, a faithful brother (as I consider him), I have written to you briefly in order to encourage you and to testify that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it!” -1 Peter 5:12, CSB
“The summons to stand in the grace God has given summarizes the message of the entire letter. Suffering is at hand, but believers must stand in the grace God has given and resist apostasy.” -Thomas R. Schreiner
Choosing to follow Jesus is choosing a hard path, a narrow way (Matthew 7:13-14). In fact, Jesus pulls no punches about this reality. He is clear that to follow Him is to lose your life (Matthew 16:24-26). This is why Peter’s letter is so helpful and necessary. In this costly, hard way, we need encouragement and reaffirmation- “This is the way- keep on!”. That is the final note that Peter sounds in his first letter. And it makes sense because, it has been the main point the whole way. From the first part of the letter, which dealt almost exclusively with who a person is in Christ, to the second part of the letter, working out that reality in everyday life, Peter’s point was encouragement and reaffirmation. It is not that the Gospel is in some way not good news or has been misunderstood. Rather that belief in the Gospel and the working out of that belief in everyday life leads to suffering and hardship. This only makes sense if, we understand our time “in earth’s little while” as an exile. This is not our homeland so of course we are treated as aliens and strangers. Our home and our blessed inheritance is yet to be revealed. So, don’t lose heart. Don’t let the hardship discourage you or cause doubt in the goodness of God. He is good (1 Peter 3:10-12). His promises are trustworthy and true. He has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. He has made us a people and a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9-10). Our sufferings for following Jesus can be a blinking beacon for those who don’t yet know Jesus to come to Him. Our part is this: stand firm. Don’t be moved from your faith in Christ as Savior by persecution. Don’t be taken off point by suffering for the sake of walking in faithfulness to God. For if we give way, the enemy of our souls gets just what he wants: to make followers of Jesus ineffective in living and sharing the gospel. Don’t let his roaring fool you, he is a defeated foe. Our victory over him is Jesus’ victory. As those in Christ, we need simply to stand firm in the victory that Jesus won. And if we do that, not only will we thwart the devil, we will know in experience the peace of all who are in Christ (1 Peter 5:14).
Blog Bonus: Re-read 1 Peter in its entirety (or listen to it here) in one sitting. (It will take about 20 minutes or so) Ask God to bring home to your soul encouragement and assurance as you journey on this pilgrim way.