So, this is my last question to you out of 1 Peter. And though it seems like a bit of a strange question, but I like asking it. "What's your last hill?" It's sort of a military term where there's a final hill that needs to be taken in order for there to be a victory. And what is that last hill?
Well, I think Peter defines the last hill that we ought to be willing to stand on and die for. The 'Last Hill' means that ultimate thing you want to accomplish, that ultimate thing you want to experience, that ultimate thing you want to own, that ultimate thing you want to achieve, that ultimate thing that you want to stand for, you want your life to stand for, what's your last hill?
As Peter begins to end his letter with greetings that are sweet and pastoral, Peter defines what should be the last hill for every believer. He says, "This is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it." It's like Peter is holding his letter, and saying, "Everything I've done in this letter is to define for you what God's grace looks like in everyday life. Stand firm in it! This is the true grace of God!"
'Stand firm' means, don't let anything move you, don't give way to fear, don't give way to pride, don't give way to discouragement, don't abandon the gospel in a moment of hardship, the true grace of God, hold on to the purity of the message of the gospel of grace. Let this message define how you think about your identity, how you think about your meaning and purpose, how you think about your values, how you think about what's morally right and morally wrong, whose glory you're going to live for, whose honor is important to you, whose rule you want to surrender your heart for.
When Peter says, "Stand firm, in the true grace of God," he's actually saying something very modern; he's speaking into a conversation that is happening all around us. Peter's saying, "Don't deconstruct your faith. Stand firm!" We are hearing all around us the language of deconstruction where in some kind of emotional, philosophical, theological, lifestyle process, people are taking apart the elements, the beautiful elements of the gospel, putting them over here, standing back and saying, "I don't believe that anymore. This is not me anymore." And in those moments, it's a huge victory of the enemy that Peter has called us to resist.
Don't deconstruct your faith. There is nothing more beautiful, there's nothing more valuable, there's nothing more healing and transformative, there's nothing that can produce peace and rest in your heart, there's nothing that can produce a humble, morally beautiful life, like the true grace of God can. What's the alternative, human effort, human power, human control, human wisdom? It's looking at God and saying, "I know better." Don't deconstruct your faith. There's nothing sweeter, more valuable, more transformative than this one word, "Grace!"
