Week 4: Life Together
We are exploring the ancient letter of 1 Peter, and we find ourselves still discerning how this living hope is displayed in a new way of life. In our last section, Peter set the Christian before God as Father with reminders of what that relationship looks like. Now Peter sets the Christian among the new brothers and sisters who also come to the relationship with God as Father. This is not a “God and I” relationship, but it involves being a part of the household of God, which is to be in an extended family. Maybe the most stunning piece of Christian furniture is the old pew — which summons former strangers (or even enemies) to sit together as family. For Peter, “church” is a more determinative category than race, gender, or class.