“I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it!”
1 Peter 5:12 NASB
The Apostle Peter writes his first epistle, perhaps from Rome, during a time of tremendous persecution for believers. His purpose was to strengthen them by reminding them of who they were and what they had been given, enabling them to stand firm. The words he wrote are still filled with enabling power to the one who believes.
I wrote last week that grace is defined as God’s enabling power at work in us, but I neglected to mention that it is also his undeserved favour.
Peter writes to the dispersed believers building their communities throughout Northern Asia Minor. His epistle is meant to be read by both Jews and Gentiles, reinforcing the truth, ‘exhorting and testifying’ that the message that has brought them to this place is the same grace that enables them to stand in the face of all opposition, persecution, and suffering for the name of Christ.
Peter emphasizes grace, again and again, in his letter as a tangible reality of their day-to-day help. Peter reminds them that this grace was prophesied ~
“Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.”
1 Peter 1:10-11
Because this grace has been declared and given, we must choose to believe and receive it in order for it to help us. The Apostle Paul reminds us that whatever ‘momentary light afflictions’ we may experience, there is a far ‘greater weight of glory working, 2 Corinthians. 4:17. We must, according to Peter, keep it all in proper perspective to receive the outcome of our faith, that is, the salvation of our souls,
Exhorted to be sober-minded, they were encouraged to set their hope fully on the grace to be brought to them at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Peter wrote in his second epistle that grace and peace are multiplied through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 2 Peter 1:3, with the exhortation from 2 Peter 3:18, to ‘grow in that grace and knowledge.’
In the midst of an adverse culture, holy conduct is necessary for the chosen generation. As His own possession, believers were and are called to show forth His praises by their holy conduct as an offering to the one who called them out of darkness.
Peter wrote about the grace received, to ‘stand firm in it.’ Paul writes the same message in Romans 5:1-5 ~
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us…..
Thus, we come boldly to the throne of grace.
A last thought from 1 Peter 5:10-11,
And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.