The Salvation of the Elect
1 Peter 1.1-12
Peter, the author, was a fisherman introduced to Jesus Christ by his brother Andrew (John 1.41), and later called by Him (Luke 5.1) and appointed to be one of His apostles (Mark 3.14). He heads the lists of names of the apostles in the Bible (Matthew 10.2, Mark 3.16; Luke 6.4; Acts 1.13), but is not to be placed above the other apostles. Nowhere does Peter claim superiority nor does the Bible give him pre-eminence.
The letter is addressed to the "pilgrims" (sojourners) of the Dispersion in five Roman provinces of the Middle East, now in modern Turkey. They would have been the Christian Jews in those places (see John 7.35; Acts 2.5,9,10; James 1.1) and also the converted Gentiles (Romans 9.24-25; Ephesians 2.13-14). But the teaching given in the letter are for all believers, Jews or Gentiles, which are the "chosen ones" (v.2).
Believers are "elected", or chosen, for obedience to God, being sanctified (separated, consecrated) by the Holy Spirit, all according to the foreknowledge of God. Foreknowledge is one of the divine attributes: the past, the present and the future are equally clear to God. The foreknown are elected, and the elect are predestined, and this election is certain to every believer by the mere fact that he believes (1 Thessalonians 1.4,5). God does not enforce faith (or unbelief), but knows beforehand who will believe and has chosen them to be consecrated and obedient children.
The Lord Jesus said, "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out" (John 6:37). His invitation to "whosoever will" is, "Come unto me" (Matthew 11:28). It is an open invitation to everyone, but there must be a response, and the response is your responsibility and my responsibility. The doctrine of election is revealed to encourage the believers. It does not limit the offer of salvation to them only (Mark 16.15-16; 1 Timothy 2.4), but concerns the character of the believer who has received salvation and eternal life: such a person is chosen, not to believe, but for holiness, for service, for worship, for obedience. Election always has in view our state of honour and privilege as a people of God.
The sprinkling of blood is a reference to the death of Christ on the Cross and to the ratification of the New Covenant by His blood (Exodus 24.6-8; Matthew 26.28; Mark 14.24; Hebrews 9.19; 12.24). The life of the flesh is in the blood. He shed His blood that we might have life, and it is sufficient to absolve our debt to God by making atonement for our sins, thus turning aside the wrath of God on sin and so providing the ground for our justification. His sacrifice was sufficient not only to deal with the past, but also to provide for our present and future need (Hebrews 10.22; 12.24).
The greeting "Grace to you and peace be multiplied" may have been usual among Jews and Christians in those days. The grace and peace of God are the contents of the blessing the priests should say to the people (Numbers 6.22-27), and the words are repeated throughout the New Testament. "Grace" is the unmerited favour of God towards us and "Peace", still the standard greeting among the Jews today (Shalom), is concerned with well-being and inner tranquillity. For the Christian it is the assurance of God's grace and the presence of the Lord Jesus in our lives.
This greeting sums up the purpose of this letter: a fuller understanding of God's grace, in order to give the readers peace in their trials. The Christians among the Jews were always persecuted by their fellow countrymen; the Roman empire began to severely oppress all Christians since about the year 63 AD. This letter reminds them that the divine grace will sustain believers in the midst of suffering and that, in all circumstances, they ought to be distinguished by their holiness.
God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is to be praised: He is the author of our salvation (Titus 1.3; 2.10; 3.4). He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who came into the world for us, died for us, and now intercedes in heaven for us. God is His Father in a unique way, because of their eternal relationship in the Trinity. God is only our Father because He adopted us as His children when we received His Son as our personal Saviour. The Lord Jesus made this distinction when He spoke to Mary Magdalene on the morning of His resurrection: ". . . I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God" (John 20:17).
Two blessings result from this salvation by God the Father, a new birth and a living hope:
- the new birth is the regeneration by the work of the Holy Spirit in us. As human beings we are God's creation, but sin has separated us from the Holy God, which is spiritual death. Our faith in the Lord Jesus reconciles us forever with God, which is eternal life, and thus we are born again to be children of God. Belonging to a divine family means that in every sense God is truly our Father in heaven.
- the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead has given us a living hope, a confident assurance of future glory and blessing, involving not only eternal life because of His victory over death, but also of an inheritance in heaven and a salvation to be revealed at His coming. Everything Christ said, and did, was confirmed by His resurrection, including the authenticity of His identity as the Son of God (Romans 1:4). Living hope is faith as it now looks forward, knowing that God fulfils His promises. The inheritance, or legacy, cannot be damaged from the inside (incorruptible), or from the outside (undefiled), nor will it fade away. The Israelites received an earthly inheritance in the Promised Land, as the LORD had promised them, but ours is in heaven. The word "kept" means that the inheritance reserved for each one of us already exists and is being guarded in a safe place. We have an inheritance coming to us some day!
Through faith, by the power of God, we are enabled to live the Christian life in the world. While we are here we have been saved from the penalty of our sin, and we are shielded from the power of sin. But when the Lord Jesus comes at the "last moment" we shall also be relieved from its presence, sin's trials and temptations, its struggles and persecutions, and we shall experience the full extent of salvation, and we shall be for ever with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4.17), we shall be like He is (1 John 3.2), and we shall enter into the "joy of our Lord" (Matthew 25.21,23).
The believer greatly rejoices in this living hope, even though he may have to endure persecution and trials, just for a little while compared with his eternal reward. Our faith is worth more than all worldly riches; it is good that it should be proved through tribulation, so that its genuineness may be found to praise, honour, and glory, both to the Lord and to the believer (Matthew 25.21,23; 1 Corinthians 4.5), when Jesus Christ comes to receive us to be with Him.
The Lord Jesus said to Thomas "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20.29). This is applicable to us, who, having not seen our Saviour in person, we love and believe in Him, and greatly rejoice "with joy inexpressible and full of glory", knowing that we shall receive the end of our faith: the salvation of our souls. It is unspeakable because it defies human logic.
This salvation was first announced by the prophets of the Old Testament who spoke of the sufferings followed by the glory of the Messiah, and that God's saving grace would be extended to the Gentiles; but they did not always understand the significance of their words. It was announced again by the apostles, also inspired by the Holy Spirit. The ancient prophets understood that it was for us - the believers of this age - that they had written. In this way, the Gospel of the New Testament is intimately connected with the teachings of the Old, both having been given by the same Spirit of God. The angels themselves are attentive to these things. Do we, the heirs, always set our mind on things above ? (Colossians 3.2)
R David Jones
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,
7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honour, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
9 receiving the end of your faith - the salvation of your souls.
10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,
11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.
12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven - things which angels desire to look into.