“.. I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it.”
In our exposition through first Peter, we have finally arrived at the end of the letter. In his final words, Peter tells his readers that he has written this “brief” letter to testify to the true grace of God that is in Christ and to exhort them to stand firm in this grace.
Throughout the letter, Peter highlights this amazing grace of God in the lives of his readers. This grace began with the God of all mercies electing them (1:1-2), and sending His Son to die for them (3:18). He then proceeds to regenerate them (1:3) and empower them to endure fiery trials with faith, hope, and inexpressible joy (1:5-9); while they look with anticipation to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And now in his final exhortation, Peter calls them to “stand firm in this grace”. They are to do this, by looking to the God of all grace, to give them the strength they need to persevere in their trials; by continuing to rejoice in the Christ who died to save them, rose to justify them, and is coming again to bring them to glory; and by setting their hope on the eternal inheritance that is kept in heaven for them. As they stand firm in this grace, Peter gives them this marvelous promise: “.. 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.” (5:10).
Although Peter wrote his letter to suffering believers in the first century, it is meant to be a source of encouragement and comfort to believers throughout the ages. We all share in one common salvation, and are pilgrims and strangers in a world that is hostile to God and His Christ. We too are in need of grace to stand against the enemy of our soul, the devil; to live holy lives in this vile world; to love one another earnestly; and to be ready to give an answer to every man for the reason of the hope that is within us. May the testimony of our first century brethren stir us on, to stand firm in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.