Family Life

With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it. She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark. Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ. 1 Peter 5:12-14

I am just completing a Bible Study on 1 Peter, and oh how I want to share the many things I have learned in this fantastic book of the Bible. But I have settled upon sharing the last three verses of 1 Peter. This verse touched me deeply as I look at you, my family in Christ, and what it means to rejoice in times of trials, suffering, and persecution together.

When I think of family, I think of my parents, siblings, children, my husband, and his family. When I think of my Church family, I visualize the people at Vineyard Church. So, when I read the end of 1 Peter and heard a tenderness in Peter’s final greeting  aimed at all of us, the more prominent family created by God’s grace, I got a bit emotional. Gaining a global perspective on what it means to have each of you, my fellow believers, considered my family, assures me of Christ’s love for us.

So, let’s take a look at what it means to go through trials as a family.

For A Little While

As I studied this book, I noticed some main themes going on. Peter writes to Christians with instructions and encouragement on how to handle trials, persecution, and suffering. He starts in 1 Peter 1:6 saying: “though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trouble.” He then ends in 1 Peter 5:10, saying: “After you have suffered a little while, [God] will himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast.”

Peter fills the text between these two verses with how Christians are to treat suffering and serve one another.  I cannot deny the currently suffering, in America, and just like the persecuted Christians of Peter’s day, I find such comfort in Peter’s encouragement and instruction for enduring our current trials as a family, never alone.

The Paradox of Rejoicing in Grief

The people of Rome had much to be sorrowful about, just like we do today. My heart aches at the troubles of this world, yet, I rejoice. How can I rejoice and grieve at the same time?

In all this, you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:6-9

Dig Deeper

• What are we rejoicing? 1 Peter 1:3-5 tells us that according to God’s great mercy we have been born again. We have a living hope because of the resurrection of Jesus. We have an imperishable, undefiled, and unfading inheritance God keeps for us in heaven, guarded by His power.
• Now for a little while. – Now for a little while. This is life, all of it, from the day we are born until the day we die. Sometimes when I am distraught by current events, I bring this image to mind:

• To prove the tested genuineness of your faith. Peter talks about the process goldsmiths use to determine the authenticity of the precious metal. Fire burns off the impurities. God allows our faith to go through trials to refine and strengthen it, making it useful and making us able to serve one another (family) in God’s love.
• Praise, glory, and honor. 1 Peter 5:4 talks about us being able to receive the unfading crown of glory. When we suffer along with Christ, He promises us praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. It is our hope in Christ and our faith He will praise, not our human selves.

It’s A Family Affair

In the final verses of 1 Peter, he brings family into the picture in a real way. He talks of Silas, a faithful brother who accompanied Peter on other mission trips. He mentions She who is at Babylon which may refer to his wife, but more likely refers to the Church in Rome. He then speaks of Mark, his son (spiritual or literal). Why end the letter with mention of family?

Greet one another with the kiss of love. – A holy kiss today would not mean the same thing as it did in the first century. But what is unchanging is love. We see so many times in the book of 1 Peter, his urge to have us show love to one another.

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. 1 Peter 1:22

Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. 1 Peter 2:17

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8

Greet one another with the kiss of love. 1 Peter 5:14

We are the divine family, marked by an affectionate love. We cannot be a community of Christians divided. We need to unite in these times of trouble to live life together, sharing our strength with one another. If one brother has fallen, we should consider it an honor to pick him up. If our sister is suffering in strife or persecution, we must fight with her, not against her. 

Concluding Prayer

Peter’s final words to us are expressed in this short prayer, which is my prayer for us also:

Peace to all of you who are in Christ. 1 Peter 5:14b

(Originally posted 7/5/2020 under the title, It’s a Family Affair)